New Mexico Red Chilli 40g

Use the New Mexican chilli to bring the lightly pungent flavours of onion & garlic, a subtly sweet smokiness and earthy depth to a homemade chilli sauce. These red chillies have a fairly mellow heat, which builds in the back of the mouth.

Dried red New Mexican chillies are most often used to make New Mexico red chilli sauce. Remove stem and seeds, toast to release the flavours, then soak the pods with a bay leaf and simmer until soft, then blend to a puree. Add cumin, oregano, garlic and salt to taste. This sauce is a great accompaniment to tacos, enchiladas and chilli con carne.

The New Mexican chilli was originally cultivated in 1894, by a Mexican horticulturist called Dr Fabián Garcia. He selected varieties of Pasilla, Colorado and Negro chillies to cross-breed, and his final version of the New Mexican chilli is now an integral part of the cuisine in New Mexico. It is also one of the most popular chillies in the Southwestern United States.

Dodie Miller, founder of Cool Chile Co, believes that there are certain warm, earthy flavours and smells that instantly transport you to Mexico. Whether it’s salsas and sauces made with toasted dried chillies, tortillas fresh from the comal, Mexican oregano rubbed over pozole, or black beans bubbling in a pot with epazote, these are the tastes and spice sensations that they want to bring into your home.