I have been asked a question, by some people from other countries, about the difference between Chile, Pepper and Chiles. I guess that it is a good idea to write about this.
The word Chile in spanish language comes from the native american language of the country, Mapuche. The word Chile means “round object” or “big lump”, the same as in english language. There are many kinds of chile peppers, but they all share this common trait with each other: they are roundish and lumpish. Thus, when the spanish arrived to this country and saw this kind of pepper growing there, they called them chilis.
The word pepper also comes from another native american language, Nahuatl. The word in nahuatl is “pimienta”. The spanish then took the word and turned it into “pepper” in english language. In nahuatl, pimienta means “small black thing”.
Finally, our favorite spice is called chili in english language. Chili comes from two words: one is “chile” (mentioned above) and the other is “piquin”. Piquin means a kind of small bird found in South America (I don’t know what kind
Is there a difference between red chile, pepper and chilli? The simple answer is yes. Chile, pepper and chilli are all spices—ground, dried fruits of various Capsicum plants. They can be used interchangeably in recipes but there are some subtle differences between them.
Taste: Chile has a slightly smoky, earthy flavor. Pepper is a little more bitter and definitely less smoky than chile. Chilli has the most heat with a fruity flavor and aroma.
Color: Chile is light brown to dark red; capsicum peppers can be green, yellow or red when unripe, but mature to red; chilli peppers are bright red when ripe.
Color/Smell/Heat: Chile has no fragrance when dried, pepper has a light floral scent and chili is aromatic with a hint of fruitiness. Red chiles have medium heat while peppers and chillis range from mild to very hot.
Chili Powder: If you buy chili powder at the store, it will probably be made up of ground chile peppers mixed with other ingredients such as garlic powder or cumin. It’s also possible to make your own spice blend at home using ingredients such as paprika, cayenne pepper and oregano for
Regardless of where you live around the world, it is likely that your grocery store carries an array of red or green powders under the guise of “chile.” In reality, you are probably looking at “chile powder,” and more than likely this powder is made from dried and ground chiles, a.k.a. dried red peppers.
In some Asian countries, however, chiles are rarely found in retail, as they are more commonly used fresh in cooking than dried and ground. Chile powder is not used as a condiment but rather as a spice to be added during the cooking process for flavor, color and heat (heat being measured in Scoville Heat Units).
So there you have it: Chile vs. pepper vs. chilli. Chile = dried pepper = red powder = chile powder = crushed red pepper = crushed dried red peppers + spices (or vinegar or oil). Pepper = the seed pod of Piper nigrum while chilli is simply another name for capsicum pepper. The heat level of each depends on which type of pepper is used during drying and grinding processes (for example, jalapeno chili peppers rate at around 5,000 to 10,000 Scoville Heat Units [SHU] while cayenne
The origins of the word “chili” are shrouded by time. Some sources indicate that the name derived from the Nahuatl word chīlli, meaning “small pepper”. Others claim that it comes from the Greek word χιλιάς (chilias), which means a thousand, and was applied to the fruit for its supposed medicinal value.
The name “pepper” or piper has been known in English since around 1400, although it is thought that there were words referring to pepper in both Saxon and Roman times. The term “black pepper” is first known in Middle English. It comes from either French poivre or Latin piper nigrum (“black pepper”), which come from the Sanskrit pippali. The same word gave rise to pepperoni (pepper+oni) and peperoncino (pepper+little).
In the 16th century, people began using “pepper” specifically to refer to black pepper, as well as other peppercorns and related spices, while “chile”, a loanword from Nahuatl chīlli, was used for fruits of the genus Capsicum. Chile was also used extensively in early modern times in combination with spices such as cloves and
Pepper is a term used for the vine and the product of the plant, which is usually dried and ground into a powder.
Chile refers to any of several large species of pepper, including some from a different genus altogether (Capsicum). Chile peppers are generally used as spices, not as food additives. Chilli refers to any of a variety of smaller hot peppers, often with a fruitier flavor than chile peppers.
Etymology: The word pepper comes from the Old English pipor, from the Latin peperum, from Sanskrit pippali. It probably originally referred to both black and white pepper. Pepper is mentioned in ancient Chinese and Greek literature.
The word chile comes from Nahuatl chilli (hot pepper), by way of Spanish chile, Italian pepe, and French poivre. Chile powder is a spice made from ground dried chile peppers.
The word chili comes from Nahuatl chilli-qilli (strong-smelling hot pepper). Chili has come to refer to types of peppers other than those from a particular region; for example, jalapeño is sometimes called chili pepper in Texas (though this is technically incorrect).
When it comes to the world of chilli peppers, it seems there are many different names for the same thing. The truth is that chilli peppers are not just one thing; they come in many shapes and sizes, with a variety of flavours and heat levels. To make things even more confusing, there is also a variety of names used to describe them. Most of the time you will find them being called either by their scientific name or by their common name. But hey, that’s where I come in! I’m here to tell you all about the origins of different types of chilli pepper.
Tear-jerkingly sad story
So you want to know which one is which? Well, read on and I’ll explain how each name came about and how it differs from others. Even if you aren’t interested in the history behind each type of chilli pepper, you can still learn how to use your favorite chili in a variety of dishes such as curries, stews and other savoury meals. If you are interested in learning about more spices beyond chilli peppers, just check out my website for more information on other spices including paprika powder, cumin powder and brown mustard seeds.
The first thing we should discuss is whether they are
Peppers were cultivated by Native Americans for thousands of years before Columbus arrived in the Americas. Spanish and Portuguese colonists brought them back to Europe, and from there they spread around the world.
Chile peppers are native to South America, though some sources say that they originated in Central America. They were named after the country Chile, which is located at one of the southernmost parts of the continent.
It is believed that Chile peppers are a variety of the species Capsicum annuum, with C. frutescens being another potential parent species.
The term chilli (as in “chilli pepper”) has been used in England since 1495; it was used in India since 1596; and it appeared in North American English by 1725.
The term “pepper” as a synonym for chile pepper originated as a typographical error (mistaking “chili” for “pepper”) used by Mark Twain in an 1876 newspaper article about the French sauce piperade: “Here pepper is used colloquially for what we should call capsicum.”
