Scotch bonnet chilli

Used in 7 recipes on RecipeWiki.

Scotch bonnet chillies are small, squat, lantern-shaped chillies in red, orange or yellow, and among the hottest in common use. Beneath the heat they have a distinctly fruity, almost apricot-like flavour, and that flavour is central to Jamaican cooking, from Jerk Chicken to Escovitch Fish and Curry Goat. This page covers them whole and finely chopped. Dropped whole into Rice and Peas, one perfumes the pot with gentle warmth, provided it does not burst; lift it out before serving. When chopping, most of the fire is in the pale pith and seeds, so remove them for less heat. Wear gloves, or wash your hands thoroughly and keep them away from your eyes.

What else can I make with it?

Most often cooked with

Recipes with scotch bonnet chilli

Ackee and Saltfish — shot from directly overhead: salt cod soaked and flaked into sautéed onion and pepper

Ackee and Saltfish

Salt cod soaked and flaked into sautéed onion and pepper, then folded through ackee at the very last moment so it does not break up.

12 hr 45 minServes 4

BreakfastCaribbeanFish

Brown Stew Fish — shot from directly overhead: fried whole fish simmered briefly in a dark sweet-savoury gravy built on browning

Brown Stew Fish

Fried whole fish simmered briefly in a dark sweet-savoury gravy built on browning, onion and thyme, and served with the sauce spooned over.

CaribbeanDinnerFish

Conch Fritters — shot from directly overhead: chopped conch in a loose batter with sweet pepper and scotch bonnet

Conch Fritters

Chopped conch in a loose batter with sweet pepper and scotch bonnet, dropped into hot oil and eaten standing up with a squeeze of lime.

CaribbeanPescatarian

Curry Goat — shot from directly overhead: goat shoulder burned into curry powder and then cooked for two hours

Curry Goat

Goat shoulder burned into curry powder and then cooked for two hours, until the meat gives and the sauce is thick enough to coat rice.

6 hr 55 minServes 6

CaribbeanCurriesDinner

Escovitch Fish — shot from directly overhead: whole fish fried until the skin shatters

Escovitch Fish

Whole fish fried until the skin shatters, then dressed hot with vinegar, onion, carrot and scotch bonnet so it pickles as it cools.

1 hr 15 minServes 4

CaribbeanDinnerFish

Jerk Chicken — shot from directly overhead: chicken marinated overnight in scotch bonnet

Jerk Chicken

Chicken marinated overnight in scotch bonnet, allspice and thyme, then cooked slowly over smoke until the skin is lacquered almost black.

13 hr 40 minServes 4

CaribbeanChickenDinner

Rice and Peas — shot from directly overhead: rice cooked in coconut milk with kidney beans

Rice and Peas

Rice cooked in coconut milk with kidney beans, thyme and a whole scotch bonnet left in the pot and never broken.

CaribbeanSide dishesVegan