Ghost pepper samples were given to me by Pyro Peppers. They have several greenhouse-grown peppers in Langley, British Columbia, Canada. The peppers grown by Pyro Peppers are beautifully grown and are wonderfully tasting peppers. So, thank you for your contributions – I greatly appreciate it.
What is a Ghost Pepper?
A Ghost Pepper is a really spicy, hot chili pepper usually red in colour. It is a chili pepper known to be in the family of what is commonly known as “super-hots” (as Food & Wine would put it).
According to Wikipedia, the Ghost Pepper is a hybrid of Capsicum chinense species or family of chili peppers and Capsicum frutescens family of chili peppers.
Other Names for the Ghost Pepper
In Northeast India, the Ghost Pepper is known as bhut jolokia, where it is also known as the “king chili” or “king cobra chili.”
The word “bhut” means ghost. The word is from the Bhutia people. According to Wikipedia Bhutia people are a Tibetan ethnic group native to the Indian state of Sikkim and northern West Bengal and in countries such as Nepal and Bhutan. They named it bhut most likely because the heat sneaks up on you like a ghost.
Other names for the Ghost Pepper are Naga Jolokia, Bih Jolokia, or Ghost Chile.
Origins of the Ghost Pepper
The Ghost Pepper originated from India, specifically from Northeastern India generally from the states of Assam, Nagaland, and Manipur.
Wikipedia mentions that the name bhüt jolokia means ‘Bhutanese pepper’ in Assamese (the official language in a north-eastern state of India).
Uses of the Ghost Pepper
Used quite a bit in Northeastern Indian cuisine, like in stews and curries.
According to Food & Wine, a monthly magazine, states that the bhut jolokia is used in pepper sprays, grenades, and as a repellent to keep elephants away from villages. It’s used in curries, pickling brine, and chutneys and has made its way into Western hot sauces, tortilla chips, and even candy! Of course, given its intense heat, raw ghost peppers are also a staple of (ill-advised) eating contests.
Ghost Peppers are also good for pepper sauces and to dehydrate for powders.
Ghost Scream Ghost Scream® – a hot sauce company out of California, and is owned and operated by chef, Matthew Sisson and his wife Deandra- states that part of the reason why they love using Ghost Peppers to make the best hot pepper sauce is that they are somewhat sweet in flavour. They also mention that scientists and health experts have found that eating up to three pounds of raw Ghost Peppers in one sitting could kill a human being. If you’re sweltering in the summer heat, don’t worry about it. It’s been proven that eating products containing Ghost Peppers can lower your body temperature, making you feel cooler. Used for this method in other countries, the heat level from the Ghost Pepper is known to promote sweating. In turn, this cools down your overall body temperature.
Wikipedia expresses that it is used in both fresh and dried forms to heat up curries, pickles, and chutneys. It is popularly used in combination with pork, or dried or fermented fish.
Taste & Flavour of the Ghost Pepper
I find that Ghost Peppers have an intense floral and almost citrusy flavour. They have a vivid, fruity, sweet chili flavour.
The heat of Ghost Peppers is hot, real nice and the heat nicely lingers.
Magic Plant Farms is an international agricultural project management company that specializes in Capsicum products states in their blog that the Ghost pepper is a culinary heavyweight with a complex, smokey flavour laced with fruitiness.
Variations of the Ghost Pepper
One interesting fact while online. Pepper Geek did a vlog on a cross between a ghost pepper and a bell pepper, which was done by Florian Hauch that crossed them somewhere in Germany. The bell pepper and ghost pepper come from totally different pepper species. To see the vlog go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMjRG4f-RPc
The name given to a pepper that is crossed between a ghost pepper and a sweet bell pepper is Barbaras Antipodes.
Pepper Geek also states that the Barbaras Antipodes have thick crunchy walls and are super sweet, it has a perfect bearable heat level with a lingering heat and that they can stuff like a jalapeño popper.
Other Characteristics of the Ghost Pepper
The scoville heat units (SHU) – a measure of heat level – of the Ghost Pepper is 1,000,000+, which means that it is crazy hot.
According to Food & Wine, a monthly magazine, states that the ghost pepper was officially verified and crowned the hottest pepper by Guinness in 2007, and held that title until 2011 when a few more peppers, like the slightly hotter Infinity chili and the current record holder the Carolina Reaper (up to 2 million SHU), came onto the scene.
However, recently Pepper X, created by Ed Curry, is the Guinness world record holder of the world’s hottest pepper, clocking in at 2.693 million scoville heat units (SHU) – which actually may be a punch in the mouth.
I find that the heat is a slight slap in the face heat – not a punch in the mouth heat.
For its size, the ghost pepper is not jammed with seeds, and is a very thin-walled pepper.
The Ghost Pepper is considered a super hot pepper, which is hotter than the Scotch Bonnet Pepper and Habanero Pepper.
Wikipedia expresses that, unlike most peppers, ghost peppers produce capsaicin in vesicles not only in the placenta around the seeds but also throughout the fruit.
Food & Wine Magazine mentions that ghost peppers are a thinner skin than many chilies, and (unlike jalapeños) contain only half of their capsaicin (the spicy stuff) in the vein or pith and the other half in the actual flesh of the fruit.
According to Wikipedia the pepper’s intense heat makes it a fixture in competitive chili pepper eating. In northeastern India, the peppers are smeared on fences or incorporated in smoke bombs as a safety precaution to keep wild elephants at a distance.
Why Are Chili Peppers Called Fruit?
Well, I’m very glad that you asked because I keep forgetting to mention that in past blogs. Chili peppers are called fruits because it is a plant that contains seeds within it. All plants that contain their own seeds are considered fruit.
Conclusion
The ghost pepper is a pepper that will very likely give you a slap in the face type of heat, but is flavourful. It will not turn you into a ghost, as the name suggests.
Since it’s said to be good for hot sauces, I will definitely give it a try.
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