Purple Jalapeño Chile Peppers
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Purple Jalapeño chile peppers are curved to straight, short pods, averaging 7 to 12 centimeters in length and 2 to 5 centimeters in diameter, and have a uniform, conical shape tapering to a rounded point on the non-stem end. The skin is smooth, taut, and glossy, ripening from green to dark purple appearing almost black, to red when mature. Underneath the surface, the thick flesh is crisp, light green, and aqueous, encasing a central cavity filled with membranes and a few round and flat, cream-colored seeds. Purple Jalapeño chile peppers have a bright, vegetal, and subtly sweet flavor mixed with a mild to moderate level of spice.
Seasons/Availability
Purple Jalapeño chile peppers are available in the late summer through fall.
Current Facts
Purple Jalapeño chile peppers, botanically classified as Capsicum annuum, are an heirloom variety that belongs to the Solanaceae or nightshade family. Considered to be a smaller, ornamental pepper favored for home gardening, Purple Jalapeño chile peppers are also edible and can be utilized at any stage of maturity, with the purple stage being the most popular in culinary applications. Purple Jalapeño chile peppers contain a moderate heat, ranging 5,000-10,000 SHU on the Scoville scale, and are used as a colorful substitute in any recipe calling for a green jalapeño.
Nutritional Value
Purple Jalapeño chile peppers are an excellent source of vitamin C, which is an antioxidant that can help boost the immune system and rebuild collagen within the body. The peppers also contain vitamins A, B6, K, and E, dietary fiber, folates, and potassium. In addition to vitamins and minerals, the peppers contain capsaicin, which is the chemical compound that triggers the brain to feel heat or spice. Capsaicin has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties and can help aid in digestion.
Applications
Purple Jalapeño chile peppers are best suited for both raw and cooked applications such as roasting, grilling, simmering, stir-frying, and baking. The pods are favored for their unusual coloring and are primarily used in their purple state in applications to showcase the dark hues. The peppers can be chopped with tomatoes, mangoes, or pineapple in tropical salsas, diced into salads, blended into sauces and marinades, or sliced as a garnish over pho. The dark purple peppers will also retain their color if cooked for a brief period. The peppers can be grilled as a spicy side dish, stuffed with dips, cheeses, and grains, sautéed into eggs, layered in enchiladas, or sprinkled over pizza. Pickling Purple Jalapeño chile peppers will also preserve their deep purple hues and can be used as a condiment over sandwiches and burgers. Purple Jalapeño chile peppers pair well with meats such as fish, pork, beef, and poultry, shrimp, tomatoes, cucumbers, broccoli, carrots, radish, corn, avocado, potatoes, cilantro, and arugula. Fresh peppers will keep up to one week when stored whole and unwashed in a paper bag in the refrigerator.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Purple Jalapeño chile peppers are a specialty cultivar primarily grown in home gardens as both an ornamental and edible variety. The bushy plants bear multi-colored, striated leaves, brightly colored flowers, and green, purple, and red pods. Each individual pod will mature at different times, giving the plant a variegated appearance, and home gardeners favor these pods for added colors to their gardens. Purple Jalapeño chile peppers are also valued by self-proclaimed “chiliheads” for their unique coloring and the ability to be substituted in traditional green jalapeño recipes.
Geography/History
Jalapeños are native to Xalapa, which is the capital city of Veracruz, Mexico, and have been cultivated since ancient times. The exact history of Purple Jalapeño chile peppers is unknown, but they are believed by experts to have similar origins to common jalapeño varieties. Today Purple Jalapeño chile peppers are not commercially produced and are grown through small farms and sold through online seed catalogs for home garden use in Mexico and the United States.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Purple Jalapeño Chile Peppers. One
is easiest, three is harder.| Salt and Tamarind |
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Delightful Tomatillo & Purple Jalapeno Salsa |
