Aji Panca Chillies, Ground

Aji Panca chillies are cultivated in Peru. They are dark brown and measure approximately 3–5 inches in length. With a spiced fruit flavour, Aji Panca generally ranges between 500 to 1,500 Scoville Heat Units (SHU), making it one of the milder chillies from South America. Similar to Aji Amarillo, once picked, the chillies are dried in the sun then ground into a fine powder.

Aji Panca peppers have a distinct and complex flavour profile, often described as fruity, berry-like notes with a slight smokiness. Some people also detect hints of raisins or prunes in the flavour.

This is the second most used chilli in Peru, where it is rubbed into meats and added to rice dishes. It is great to use in stews, soups and chilli sauces. Furthermore, the chillies work great with firm white fish. Try adding into homemade bean burgers, chocolate puddings or even chocolate chip cookies!

Thanks to its deep red colour, this chilli pepper gives a really vibrant hue to sauces, stews and soups. In Peru, it’s even used as a natural food colouring agent.

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