Pronounced “pah-SEE-yah” the word Pasilla is derived from the word “Pasa” which translates to “little black raisin”. Pasilla Negros are indigenous to Central Mexico and are a member of the chile species Capsicum annuum. Like many chiles these are known as one thing when dried and are called something else when fresh. When dried it is called pasilla negro, chile negro, chile pasilla and chile pasilla de Mexico.
The Pasilla Negro is the dried version of the Chilaca Chiles which are dark green chiles that feature a similar heat profile to the more popular Poblano pepper. The fresh chilaca is narrow and grows up to 10” long and usually has a twisted shape, which is not as pronounced when dried. The chilaca, when fresh, is also known as pasilla bajio, chile negro or “Mexican negro” because, it changes from dark green to a dark brown as it matures.
To add to the confusion in California the ancho chile is frequently called pasilla. This is because in California and other areas where the fusion of Cal-Mex cuisine is prevalent they call the fresh wide poblano chile a pasilla. So if you get your dried chiles from California growers or suppliers be sure to check carefully as may not be true pasilla peppers.
Dried Pasilla Negros are long, thin chiles that are 5” - 10" in length and 1" to 1-1/2” wide at the top (by the stem). The color of this dried pepper is dark blackish-purple; similar to the color of an eggplant or a raisin. This thin fleshed chile has one of the more sophisticated chile flavors and is a favorite of chile heads. The taste is pungent and tangy but with a long lasting deep rich flavor with woodsy undertones. Pasilla Negros are considered a mild heat chile and come in at 1,000 to 2,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU).
There are approximately 3 dried Pasilla Negro Chiles per oz.
A puree of soaked Pasilla Negro chiles will be brownish-black with reddish overtones. Pasillas yield a fair amount of pulp per ounce.
The Dried Pasilla Negro Chile is a key chile in the famous “holy trinity” of Mexican chiles used in Mexican moles along with the Ancho and the Mulato chiles.
In addition to Mexican moles, Pasilla Chiles are used in adobo sauces and salsas. In central Mexico they are used as the signature flavor in tortilla soup. When used in soup it is more common to add the crushed Pasilla Negro chiles on top of the soup than to have them added to the base during cooking but you can certainly do both for more complex depths of flavor.
This chile is a flavorful ingredient when used in your favorite Mexican recipes such as tacos, enchiladas, burritos, quesadillas and toasados but they also work well in cream sauce dishes (especially for fish) and we also like to be a bit adventurous and use them in meat loaf, beef stew or corn chowder.
Pasilla Negro chiles work well in combination with duck, fennel, fruits, garlic, honey, lamb, Mexican oregano, mushrooms and seafood.
We like to dry toast these before re-hydrating them for maximum flavor. To re-hydrate soak in hot water for 15-20 minutes but be careful to not let them soak for longer than that or they become bitter.
The Pasilla Negro is closely related to one of our favorite hard to find chiles – Pasilla de Oaxaca from the Oaxacan region of Mexico. If you’re a fan of flavorful Mexican chiles then you’ll love our growing selection that includes – Cascabel, Chipotle “Moritas”, Chipotle “Mecos”, Ancho, Guajillo, Puya, de Arbol, Mulato, Habaerno and Pequin.
Some of our favorite recipes using Pasilla Negro chiles are Texas 3 Chiles Chili, Mexican Mole and Mole Chili.
|
|
E-mail this product to a friend
Spices |
Seasonings |
Organics |
Salt-Free |
Chiles |
Spice Sets |
Gourmet Salts |
Recipes
