Scotch bonnet (also known as Bonney peppers, or Caribbean red peppers)
is a variety of
chili pepper
Chili peppers (also chile, chile pepper, chilli pepper, or chilli), from Nahuatl '' chīlli'' (), are varieties of the berry-fruit of plants from the genus ''Capsicum'', which are members of the nightshade family Solanaceae, cultivated for ...
named for its supposed resemblance to a Scottish
tam o' shanter bonnet.
It is ubiquitous in
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Maurit ...
as well as the Caribbean. Like the closely related
habanero
The habanero (; ) is a hot variety of chili. Unripe habaneros are green, and they color as they mature. The most common color variants are orange and red, but the fruit may also be white, brown, yellow, green, or purple. Typically, a ripe hab ...
, Scotch bonnets have a heat rating of 100,000–350,000
Scoville units
The Scoville scale is a measurement of the pungency (spiciness or "heat") of chili peppers, as recorded in Scoville heat units (SHU), based on the concentration of capsaicinoids, among which capsaicin is the predominant component.
The scale ...
.
For comparison, most
jalapeño
The jalapeño ( , , ) is a medium-sized chili pepper pod type cultivar of the species ''Capsicum annuum''. A mature jalapeño chili is long and hangs down with a round, firm, smooth flesh of wide. It can have a range of pungency, with Scovi ...
peppers have a heat rating of 2,500 to 8,000 on the Scoville scale. However, completely sweet varieties of Scotch bonnet called
cachucha peppers
Cachucha is a Spanish solo dance in or time, similar to the bolero. Cachucha is danced to an Andalusian national song with castanet accompaniment.
Etymology
From Spanish , small boat. Possibly from diminutive of ', shard, saucepan, probabl ...
are grown on some of the Caribbean islands.
Scotch bonnets are used to flavor many dishes and cuisines worldwide and are often used in hot sauces and condiments. The Scotch bonnet has a sweeter flavor and stouter shape, distinct from its
habanero
The habanero (; ) is a hot variety of chili. Unripe habaneros are green, and they color as they mature. The most common color variants are orange and red, but the fruit may also be white, brown, yellow, green, or purple. Typically, a ripe hab ...
relative with which it is often confused, and gives
jerk dishes (pork/chicken) and other Caribbean dishes their unique flavor. Scotch bonnets are mostly used in
Sri Lankan,
Maldivian,
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Maurit ...
n,
Antiguan,
Kittitian/Nevisian,
Anguila
Anguilla ( ) is a British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean. It is one of the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles, lying east of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands and directly north of Saint Martin. The territor ...
n,
Dominica
Dominica ( or ; Kalinago: ; french: Dominique; Dominican Creole French: ), officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island country in the Caribbean. The capital, Roseau, is located on the western side of the island. It is geographically ...
n,
St. Lucian,
Martinican
Martinique ( , ; gcf, label=Martinican Creole, Matinik or ; Kalinago: or ) is an island and an overseas department/region and single territorial collectivity of France. An integral part of the French Republic, Martinique is located in th ...
,
Guadeloupean
Guadeloupe (; ; gcf, label=Antillean Creole, Gwadloup, ) is an archipelago and overseas department and region of France in the Caribbean. It consists of six inhabited islands—Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galante, La Désirade, and the tw ...
,
St Vincentian,
Grenadian,
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands of Trinidad and Tobago. The island lies off the northeastern coast of Venezuela and sits on the continental shelf of South America. It is often referred to as the southernmos ...
ian,
Jamaica
Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...
n,
Barbadian,
Guyanese,
Suriname
Suriname (; srn, Sranankondre or ), officially the Republic of Suriname ( nl, Republiek Suriname , srn, Ripolik fu Sranan), is a country on the northeastern Atlantic coast of South America. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north ...
se,
Haiti
Haiti (; ht, Ayiti ; French: ), officially the Republic of Haiti (); ) and formerly known as Hayti, is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and ...
an and
Cayman cuisines and pepper sauces, though they often show up in other Caribbean recipes. It is also used in
Nicaragua
Nicaragua (; ), officially the Republic of Nicaragua (), is the largest country in Central America, bordered by Honduras to the north, the Caribbean to the east, Costa Rica to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Managua is the cou ...
,
Costa Rica
Costa Rica (, ; ; literally "Rich Coast"), officially the Republic of Costa Rica ( es, República de Costa Rica), is a country in the Central American region of North America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the no ...
and
Panama
Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning the southern part of North America and the northern part of South America. It is bordered by Cos ...
for Caribbean-styled recipes such as
rice and beans
Rice and beans, or beans and rice, is a category of dishes from many cultures around the world, whereby the staple foods of rice and beans are combined in some manner. The grain and legume combination provides several important nutrients and man ...
,
rondón, ''saus'', beef
patties
A patty or burger (in British English) is a flattened, usually round, serving of ground meat and/or legumes, grains, vegetables, or meat alternatives. Patties are found in multiple cuisines throughout the world.
In British and American En ...
, and
ceviche
Ceviche () is a Peruvian dish typically made from fresh raw fish cured in fresh citrus juices, most commonly lime or lemon. It is also spiced with '' ají'', chili peppers or other seasonings, and julienned red onions, salt, and cilantro are ...
. Scotch bonnet is also prominent in the
cuisine
A cuisine is a style of cooking characterized by distinctive ingredients, techniques and dishes, and usually associated with a specific culture or geographic region. Regional food preparation techniques, customs, and ingredients combine to ...
of the
Maldives
Maldives (, ; dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ, translit=Dhivehi Raajje, ), officially the Republic of Maldives ( dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ, translit=Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa, label=none, ), is an archipelag ...
where it is called ''githeyo mirus''.
Fresh, ripe Scotch bonnets can change from green to yellow to scarlet red; some varieties of this pepper can ripen to orange, yellow, peach, or even a chocolate brown.
File:HotPeppersinMarket.jpg, Scotch bonnet peppers in a Caribbean market
File:A Scotch Bonnet.jpg, A single ripe Scotch bonnet pepper
See also
*
Bajan pepper sauce
Bajan pepper sauce is a Barbadian-style hot sauce condiment made from hot peppers. It is similar to Cajun-style hot sauce and is traditionally applied in local Barbadian cuisine including meat, poultry, and fish.
The principal traditional ingredi ...
*
Caribbean cuisine
Caribbean cuisine is a fusion of West African,["Cuisine."](_blank)
(Caribbean.
*
Cuisine of Jamaica
Jamaican cuisine includes a mixture of cooking techniques, flavours and spices influenced by Amerindian, African, Irish, English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Indian, Chinese and Middle Eastern people who have inhabited the island. It is also in ...
*
Cuisine of Nigeria
*
Cuisine of Trinidad
Trinidad and Tobago has a unique history and its food is influenced by Indian-South Asian, West African, Creole, European, American, Chinese, Amerindian, and Latin American culinary styles. Trinidad and Tobagonian food is dominated by a wi ...
*
Jamaican jerk spice
Jamaican may refer to:
* Something or someone of, from, or related to the country of Jamaica
* Jamaicans, people from Jamaica
* Jamaican English, a variety of English spoken in Jamaica
* Jamaican Patois, an English-based creole language
* Culture ...
*
List of ''Capsicum'' cultivars
*
Nagabon
The nagabon is a cross between a Scotch bonnet and a ghost pepper. Its heat is hotter than the hottest Scotch bonnet (750,000 SHU) and milder than the mildest naga
Naga or NAGA may refer to:
Mythology
* Nāga, a serpentine deity or race i ...
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Scotch Bonnet (Naga Morris)(Pepper)
Capsicum cultivars
Caribbean cuisine
Costa Rican cuisine
Chili peppers
Flora of Jamaica
Guyanese cuisine
Maldivian cuisine
Nicaraguan cuisine
Panamanian cuisine
Sri Lankan cuisine
Surinamese cuisine
West African cuisine