Ají Charapita

From Peru, The Aji Charapita chilli is bushy plant, which produces hundreds of hot small round Tepin-like peppers. The fruit have a distinct fruity, citrus aroma. Also known as Charapilla and Tettinas de Monk. They may be similar (or the same as) Cumani, Yellow Jellybean, or Yellow Fire. In English, it is called Wild Peruvian Chili Pepper.

The charapita is equal to a Cayenne pepper on the Scoville scale. They mature from green to yellow. Aji Charapita essentially grows wild and is only recently being processed and used commercially, although it is considered the first of the jungle chile peppers to reach the world market. The plant produces hundreds of very hot, .25 inch round “Tepin like” peppers.

The peppers can generally be one of two species: C. chinense or C. praetermissum. The yellow chinense is more common and the one you will more likely find outside of Brazil and is listed by the USDA as cumarí. The praetermissum is slightly bigger and red.