Cascabel chilis, or chili bola, are round, dark chili peppers. When dried, the seeds rattle, and the pepper resembles a rattle (cascabel is Spanish for rattle). Cascabels are grown in Mexico.
Appearance
Cascabel chili peppers are round, and grow to around 1.5 inches in diameter. They are green, maturing to red when fresh, turning dark red or brown in color when dried. Both red and green versions are edible, with green being immature and more vegetable-like, and red a sweeter, mature flavor.
Heat and Flavor
Cascabel chili peppers are considered medium-hot with a heat rating of 1,250 to 2,500 Scoville units. (Im comparison, cayenne has a rating of 30,000 to 50,000, and jalapeño 2,500 to 5,000.) They are used to flavor without adding fire and have a nutty, smoky taste.
Form
Cascabel chilis can be bought fresh but are more often sold dried in whole, powdered or paste form. You can make your own paste from the powder.
Purchase
You can purchase cascabel chilis online from gourmet food suppliers, or try a Mexican grocery.
Cooking
Remove the seeds and stem, and add whole fresh or dried peppers to slow-cooking dishes. Remove after cooking. For faster dishes, chop into pieces and toss segments into the dish.
Uses
Cascabel chilis work well in sauces, tamales, hummus, salsas and stews. They also add zest to any rice dish.
Tags: Cascabel chilis, Cascabel chili peppers, chili peppers