Everything you need to know about pepper types, colours and taste

All types of peppers are a part of the Capsicum family, which includes both sweet peppers as well as hot and spicy ones, often referred to as chilli peppers.
The bell pepper, or capsicum annuum, is a member of the Capsicum genus, which also includes the chilli pepper species. It is larger, rounder, crunchier, and milder than its little, spicy siblings. Peppers are no longer only available in red and green; yellow, orange, and even purple bell peppers are very common.Furthermore, pepper types come in more varieties than only the colours of bell peppers. Continue to read the whole article to get a sense of the variety of peppers available at farmers’ markets and stores. Let’s dive into the world of pepper types.

Heat of Pepper

Before discussing pepper types let’s discuss the synonymous taste for pepper and heat. The Scoville scale is used to determine the heat of a pepper. Peppers with no heat, such as bell peppers, have a Scoville heat unit of zero, whereas some of the world’s spiciest peppers have a Scoville heat unit of three million.

Zero to 4,000 units is considered mild; 4,000 to 15,000 is considered medium; 15,000 to 50,000 is considered hot; and 50,000 or more is considered extremely hot. The heat of a pepper is largely concentrated in the seeds and ribs, thus removing these reduce the amount of spice in the dish.

(A) Most Common Pepper Types- Bell Pepper

The most popular bell peppers are green, orange, yellow, and red, while white, brown, and purple types are also available.

On the plant, all unripe bell peppers start off green.
The colour of bell peppers evolves from green to yellow, orange, and red as they age on the plant.
Green peppers have a bitterer flavour profile.
The orange and yellow bell peppers are sweeter, with the red bell pepper being the sweetest.

(1) Green bell peppers

These pepper types are the peppers that many of us grew up with. They have a green flavour and a super-crunchy texture. We particularly enjoy them with stuffed peppers. We’re sure they’ll find a special place in your heart, whether you stuff them with ground pork or quinoa and veggies, then cook them till tender and delicious.

(2) Orange bell peppers

Orange bell peppers, like their bright cousins, yellow bell peppers, are less delicious than red bell peppers, but just as sweet and attractive. Use them raw in salads or roast them to give a splash of vivid orange colour to recipes.

(3) Red bell peppers

These are the most popular sweet peppers, which is possibly due to their sweetness. Because of their vibrant colour and sweet flavour, they are ideal for putting into salads (such as this corn avocado pepper salad or this pickled bell pepper salad).

When roasted, red peppers lose their grassy flavour and become silky and sweet.

(4) Yellow bell peppers

These pepper types can be utilized in the same way that red or orange peppers are. They have a similar sweetness but a milder flavour. They roast well, exactly like red peppers, and retain their attractive yellow colour when cooked.

(B) Most Popular Pepper Types in Cuisines

(1) Jalapeno peppers

These pepper types are medium-sized, thick-walled peppers. Most jalapenos are 2-3 inches long, but some are as long as 6 inches. It is typically harvested when green, although it ripens to red. When these pepper types are allowed to mature to red on the vine, the flavour is less fiery and sweeter than when they are picked green. Many people believe that jalapeno peppers have exactly the correct amount of heat. The peppers are spicy, but not unbearably so.

(2) Jaloro Pepper

Jaloro (also known as caloro) peppers are a thick-walled variant of the jalapeno that resembles a yellow jalapeno. Most are 2-3 inches long, but some can reach 6 inches. If the Jaloro pepper is kept on the vine for an extended period of time, it turns crimson. This Jaloro has a fruitier flavour than a jalapeno.

(3) Habanero peppers

These peppers have a thin, waxy wall and are roughly 2 inches long and 1 to 2 inches wide. Depending on when it is picked, the colour ranges from yellow to orange to red. These pepper types have a good balance of spice and flavour. In summary, these are peery spicy, but with a citrus flavour.

(C) Other Lesser Known Pepper Types

(1) Cherry peppers

Sweet cherry peppers can be hot, but that adds to their appeal. They are primarily delicious tiny nuggets that taste like condensed red peppers.

They’re delicious raw as a poppy snack. They’re also delicious in salads and pickled.

(2) Cubanelle peppers

When young, these long, thin peppers have a delicate yellow-green colour, but as they mature, they deepen and turn red. The majority of these pepper types are sold unripe and used as an aromatic in other meals, or roasted and stuffed.

(3) Italian frying peppers

These slim, mild peppers get their name from the fact that they are best when sliced long and thin or diced up and gently fried in olive oil. The long, thin slices can stand alone as a side dish. The chopped ones are great for adding to sandwiches (especially with Italian deli meats!).

(4) Roasting pimentos

As you might have guessed, roasted pimentos are perfect for roasting. These pepper types have a high sugar content, and roasting brings forth their rich sweetness and velvety smoothness.

(5) Purple bell peppers

Purple bell peppers are not as sweet as red, orange, or yellow bell peppers, but they are sweeter than green bell peppers. These pepper types are ideal for salads or other raw meals because their stunning glossy purple colour becomes murky and even grey when cooked.

Pepper Types and Paprika

How cannot we talk about paprika while discussing pepper types?Paprika is a fundamental ingredient in both Middle Eastern and Western cuisines, adding brilliant colour as well as smoky, spicy, and pungent flavour to your dish. The flavour of paprika can range from mild to intense, depending on the type of chilli pepper used in its preparation.

It is typically created by air-drying bell peppers and then grinding them into a fine powder. Paprika is of Hungarian provenance and was first used by Europeans in 1896.
Currently, Hungary is the world’s largest producer of paprika, which is graded according to taste and flavour. It is commonly available in three flavours: mild, mildly spicy, and spicy. The most prevalent and well-known kind is Spanish paprika, which has a smokey flavour due to being dried on oak wood.

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Conclusion

Peppers come in a variety of forms, sizes, and flavours, including hot, sweet, spicy, and mild. Peppers are the fruit of a nightshade-family flowering plant. Regardless of variety, all pepper types fall within the biological classification of Capsicum. Peppers are utilized in almost every cuisine around the world, from green chilli in Indian curry to red chilli in Korean kimchi to Mexico’s hot salsas.