Peppers - some like it Hot!

 Hi all, 

When making the Tandoori Pye, I started researching Hot Peppers and stumbled upon so much information that I needed to share. 

So first of all the two peppers I have been using in this Pye are Scotch Bonnet and Jalapeno.  Maribeth introduced me to Scotch Bonnets - I seriously had never heard of them and they are hot. 

The Scotch Bonnet Pepper: A Scotch Bonnet is about 1.5 inches in size and appears in the shape of a bonnet - thats pretty much where it gets it's fancy name. The Scotch Bonnet and Habanero are actually related (more on this later)!!  

Origin of Scotch Bonnet versus Habanero:

Both are a variety from the Capsicum Chinese chili plant. However the Habanero was domesticated in the Amazons and eventually found its way to Mexico and South America, where it is most popular. The Scotch Bonnet is of Jamaican origin and most common in Caribbean foods. The Habanero is more commonly found in supermarkets, whereas the Scotch Bonnet might be harder to find

Which pepper is HOTTER? 

The Scoville Scale is used to measure the heat in peppers in Scoville Heat units (SHU). It is a function of the main phytochemical in peppers that give them their heat, called capsaicin. The habanero chili peppers are 260,000 SHU, whereas the Scotch bonnet pepper is about 445,000 SHU. The Jalapeno pepper on the other hand is only about 1000 to 4000 SHU. 

The main difference is that the Scotch Bonnet has some additional sweetness in comparison to the Habanero