Aji charapita pepper plants

Pea-sized, expensive as a dried pod, and a chinense even though the name says aji.

By Debra Austin

Species: Capsicum chinense

The pea pepper from Peru

Aji charapita is a Capsicum chinense, not a baccatum, which surprises people who think every aji is the spotted-flower species. The pod is the size of a pea, yellow when ripe on the classic plant, and it grows in clusters. In Peru it is a fresh seasoning, crushed over a finished dish.

We grow the classic, Aji Charapita Peach, and two crosses with habanada. The crosses are still charapita plants. They also show up on the habanero page because habanada is in the name.

How hot charapita is

Aji Charapita is listed at 30,000 to 100,000 SHU. The peach is listed at 30,000 to 50,000. One cross with habanada stays in that 30,000 to 50,000 band. The orange cross is listed up to 100,000. A single pea is not mild. A spoonful is a lot.

Why cooks pay for them

The dried pea is sold by the gram, which is a clue. The flavor is citrus and a little tropical, and you use the pods as a finish, the way you would use a chile crisp. They are a poor choice if you wanted a pepper to stuff. There is nothing inside a pea to stuff.

Growing charapita

Chinense rules apply: warmth, patience, and a pot of at least five gallons for a plant that will set a real crop. The pods are tedious to pick and worth it. A plant that looks unproductive in July often covers itself in August.

Do not expect a baccatum flower. Charapita flowers are plain, like a habanero's.

The Aji Charapita we grow

Questions people ask

How hot is an aji charapita?

The classic plant is listed at 30,000 to 100,000 SHU. The peach is listed at 30,000 to 50,000. Small pod, real heat.

Is charapita a baccatum?

No. It is Capsicum chinense. The word aji only means chile.

Why is charapita expensive?

The pods are tiny, so a cook needs a lot of them, and the plant is slower than an annuum. You are paying for time and for the flavor, not for bulk.