Ancho Chile Pepper = (incorrectly) Pasilla Chile Pronunciation: AHN-choh Notes: These are dried poblano peppers, and very commonly used in Mexican cuisine. They're brownish-black and wrinkled. Substitutes: mulato (darker with earthier, more pungent flavor) OR pasilla chile OR California chile OR dried New Mexico chile peppers

California Chile Notes: These are dried Anaheim chiles, very mild. Substitutes: dried New Mexico chile peppers (a bit hotter)

Cascabel Pepper = Rattle Chile = Bola Chile = Chile Bola These are nicknamed rattle chiles because the seeds rattle when you shake them. They're a rich brown color and moderately hot. Substitutes: GUAJILLO CHILE OR PEQUIN PEPPER (much hotter) OR TEPIN PEPPER (much hotter) OR CAYENNE PEPPER (hotter)

Catarina Chile = Catarina Pepper Notes: This Mexican chile is used to make tamales, marinades, stews and soups.

Cayenne Pepper = Ginnie Pepper Notes: These are very hot, bright red chiles. Recipes that call for cayenne pepper may be referring to a ground powder that goes by the same name, or to the fresh version of the pepper. Substitutes: chile de Arbol OR guajillo

Chilhuacle Negro Chile Notes: This excellent Mexican chile is loaded with flavor but hard to find. It's used to make mole negro and bean dishes.

Chilcostle chile This Mexican chile is used in soups, stews, tamales, and mole sauces.

Chile De Arbol = Arbol Chile = Red Chile Pronunciation: are-bowl Notes: Unlike many chiles, these remain bright red even after drying. They're fairly hot. Don't confuse the dried version with the fresh, which goes by the same name. Substitutes: cayenne pepper OR pequin chiles

Chipotle Pepper (Chile) = Smoked Jalapeno Pepper = Chile Seco

Pronunciation: chuh-POT-lay Notes: These lend a wonderful smoky flavor to sauces. They're usually canned in adobo sauce, but you can also buy the dried peppers in cellophane bags. Substitutes: (for chipotles in adobo sauce) 1 tablespoon catsup + 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke + 1 jalapeno pepper OR morita (smaller) OR mora OR ancho (larger and milder)

Costeño Amarillo chile This Mexican chile is used to make soups, stews, and mole sauces.

Guajillo Chile Pronunciation: gwah-hee-yoh notes: these moderately hot chiles are smooth, shiny, and reddish-brown. they have a tough skin, so they need to be soaked longer than other chiles. substitutes: cascabels (rounder and shorter) or new Mexico Chiles or California Chiles (milder)

habanero (habañero) chile (or pepper) Pronunciation: hah-bah-NYAIR-oh Notes: Don't confuse dried habaneros with the fresh version, which goes by the same name. These extremely hot chiles are wrinkled and orange. Substitutes: chile de Arbol

Japanese dried chile

mirasol chile (dried) Substitutes: chile de Arbol

mora chile Notes: This is a smoked and dried red jalapeno pepper. Substitutes: chipotle chile OR morita chile (smaller)

morita pepper Notes: Like the larger mora chile, this is a smoked and dried red jalapeno. Substitutes: chipotle (larger) OR mora chile (larger)

mulato chile = mulatto chile Pronunciation: moo-LAH-toe Notes: This very popular chile looks like the ancho, but it's darker and sweeter. It's fairly mild and has an earthy flavor. Substitutes: ancho chile (sweeter)

New Mexico red chile = New Mexican chile = chiles de ristra Notes: These chiles have an earthy flavor and resemble the California chile, only they're hotter and more flavorful. Substitutes: California chile OR ancho chile

Onza roja chile This is used in sauces and soups.

pasilla chile = chile negro = pasilla negro Pronunciation: puh-SEE-yuh Notes: This is the dried version of the chilaca chile. It's long, black, and wrinkled, and a standard ingredient in mole sauces. Ancho chiles are sometimes mislabeled as pasillas. Substitutes: ancho chile (sweeter) OR mulato chile (stronger, earthier flavor)

pequin pepper = piquin pepper Pronunciation: pay-KEEN Notes: These small red peppers are fairly hot. Substitutes: chile de Arbol OR tepin OR cayenne OR cascabel

piri piri pepper Substitutes: malagueta peppers

piquin pepper See pequin pepper.

puya chile = pulla chile Pronunciation: POO-yuh

Notes: This is similar to the guajillo chile, only smaller and more potent. It has a fruity flavor that's good in salsas and stews.

rattle chile See cascabel pepper.

red chile See chile de arbol.

smoked jalapeno peppers See cayenne pepper.

tepin (tepín) = chiltpin (chiltpín) = chiltepin (chiltepín) = chiltecpin (chiltecpín) Notes: These look a bit like large dried cranberries. They're also sold fresh. Substitutes: pequin OR cascabel OR cayenne

dried chiles = dried chilies = dried peppers

ají panca chile = aji panca chile Notes: This reddish-brown chile is fruity and mild.

ancho chile pepper = (incorrectly) pasilla chile Pronunciation: AHN-choh Notes: These are dried poblano peppers, and very commonly used in Mexican cuisine. They're brownish-black and wrinkled. Substitutes: mulato (darker with earthier, more pungent flavor) OR pasilla chile OR California chile OR dried New Mexico chile peppers

arbol chile See chile de arbol.

bola chile See cascabel pepper.

California chile Notes: These are dried Anaheim chiles, very mild. Substitutes: dried New Mexico chile peppers (a bit hotter)

cascabel pepper = rattle chile = bola chile = chile bola These are nicknamed rattle chiles because the seeds rattle when you shake them. They're a rich brown color and moderately hot. Substitutes: GUAJILLO CHILE OR PEQUIN PEPPER (much hotter) OR TEPIN PEPPER (much hotter) OR CAYENNE PEPPER(hotter)

Catarina chile = Catarina pepper Notes: This Mexican chile is used to make tamales, marinades, stews and soups.

cayenne pepper = Ginnie pepper Notes: These are very hot, bright red chiles. Recipes that call for cayenne pepper may be referring to a ground powder that goes by the same name, or to the fresh version of the pepper. Substitutes: chile de Arbol OR guajillo

Chilhuacle negro chile Notes: This excellent Mexican chile is loaded with flavor but hard to find. It's used to make mole negro and bean dishes.

Chilcostle chile This Mexican chile is used in soups, stews, tamales, and mole sauces.

chile bola See cascabel pepper.

chile de arbol = arbol chile = red chile Pronunciation: ARE-bowl Notes: Unlike many chiles, these remain bright red even after drying. They're fairly hot. Don't confuse the dried version with the fresh, which goes by the same name. Substitutes: cayenne pepper OR pequin chiles

chile negro See pasilla chile.

chiles de ristra See New Mexico red chile.

chile seco See chipotle pepper

chiltecpin See tepin.

chiltepin See tepin.

chiltpin See tepin.

chipotle pepper (chile) = smoked jalapeno pepper = chile seco Pronunciation: chuh-POT-lay Notes: These lend a wonderful smoky flavor to sauces. They're usually canned in adobo sauce, but you can also buy the dried peppers in cellophane bags. Substitutes: (for chipotles in adobo sauce) 1 tablespoon catsup + 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke + 1 jalapeno pepper OR morita (smaller) OR mora OR ancho (larger and milder)

Costeño Amarillo chile This Mexican chile is used to make soups, stews, and mole sauces.

Ginnie pepper See cayenne pepper.

guajillo chile Pronunciation: gwah-HEE-yoh Notes: These moderately hot chiles are smooth, shiny, and reddish-brown. They have a tough skin, so they need to be soaked longer than other chiles. Substitutes: cascabels (rounder and shorter) OR New Mexico chiles OR California chiles (milder)

habanero (habañero) chile (or pepper) Pronunciation: hah-bah-NYAIR-oh Notes: Don't confuse dried habaneros with the fresh version, which goes by the same name. These extremely hot chiles are wrinkled and orange. Substitutes: chile de Arbol

Japanese dried chile

mirasol chile (dried) Substitutes: chile de Arbol

mora chile Notes: This is a smoked and dried red jalapeno pepper. Substitutes: chipotle chile OR morita chile (smaller)

morita pepper Notes: Like the larger mora chile, this is a smoked and dried red jalapeno. Substitutes: chipotle (larger) OR mora chile (larger)

mulato chile = mulatto chile Pronunciation: moo-LAH-toe Notes: This very popular chile looks like the ancho, but it's darker and sweeter. It's fairly mild and has an earthy flavor. Substitutes: ancho chile (sweeter)

New Mexico red chile = New Mexican chile = chiles de ristra Notes: These chiles have an earthy flavor and resemble the California chile, only they're hotter and more flavorful. Substitutes: California chile OR ancho chile

Onza roja chile This is used in sauces and soups.

pasilla chile = chile negro = pasilla negro Pronunciation: puh-SEE-yuh Notes: This is the dried version of the chilaca chile. It's long, black, and wrinkled, and a standard ingredient in mole sauces. Ancho chiles are sometimes mislabeled as pasillas. Substitutes: ancho chile (sweeter) OR mulato chile (stronger, earthier flavor)

pequin pepper = piquin pepper Pronunciation: pay-KEEN Notes: These small red peppers are fairly hot. Substitutes: chile de Arbol OR tepin OR cayenne OR cascabel

piri piri pepper Substitutes: malagueta peppers

piquin pepper See pequin pepper.

puya chile = pulla chile Pronunciation: POO-yuh Notes: This is similar to the guajillo chile, only smaller and more potent. It has a fruity flavor that's good in salsas and stews.

rattle chile See cascabel pepper.

red chile See chile de arbol.

smoked jalapeno peppers See cayenne pepper.

tepin (tepín) = chiltpin (chiltpín) = chiltepin (chiltepín) = chiltecpin (chiltecpín) Notes: These look a bit like large dried cranberries. They're also sold fresh. Substitutes: pequin OR cascabel OR cayenne

General Notes:

� Smaller peppers are usually hotter than larger peppers. � Peppers often become hotter as they ripen, and hotter still when they're dried.

peppers tend to have a richer, more concentrated flavour. � To tone down the heat of a pepper, cut it open and remove the seeds and the white

ribs. � When working with peppers, wear rubber gloves or, in a pinch, coat your hands with

vegetable oil. Wash your hands carefully afterwards. � Chiles don't freeze well.