Pasilla

Pasilla (pronounced pah-SEE-yah; literally "little raisin") refers to more than one variety of chile in the species Capsicum annuum. Pasillas are used especially in sauces. They are sold whole or powdered in Mexico and the United States.

The pasilla chile or chile negro is the dried form of a variety of Capsicum annuum named for its dark, wrinkled skin. In its fresh form, it is called the chilaca. It is a mild to medium-hot, rich-flavored chile. It is generally 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm) long and 1 to 1.5 inches (2.5 to 4 cm) in diameter. The fresh narrow chilaca can measure up to 9 inches (22 cm) long and often has a twisted shape, which is seldom apparent after drying. It turns from dark green to dark brown when fully mature.

Pasilla de Oaxaca is a variety of smoked pasilla chile from Oaxaca used in mole negro.

The poblano, when dried, becomes a broad, flat, heart-shaped pod called an ancho chile (meaning "wide" in Spanish), often ground into a powder used for flavoring recipes. ("Poblano" is also the name of an inhabitant of Puebla, Mexico and refers to this pepper's origin).

Scoville Rating: 1000-4000