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You are here: Home » Appetizers

Hot Piquín Pepper Powder

Published: Aug 21, 2013 · Updated: Aug 12, 2018 by Mely Martínez

JUMP TO RECIPE

One of the things you’ll always find on the beaches of the Gulf of Mexico are snack vendors, and among them are the fruit vendors. The fruits they offer are those that are in season. It’s like a rainbow of flavors in the fruit vendor's cart.

Today, some of those sellers use a chili powder sold commercially for that purpose; it has some other things besides the chili powder, like ascorbic acid, lemon juice, artificial colors, and salt.

Hot Piquín Pepper Powder Sprinkled over Fruit… another Street Food from Mexico

Hot Piquín Pepper Powder | Mexican Recipes

But it used to not be that way years ago when people used chili powder prepared at home. They used the Piquín/Chiltepin chili, which is grounded and mixed with salt to add some spiciness to the fruit.

Hot Piquín Pepper Powder | Mexican Peppers

Piquín, or chiltepín, is the most common name that this little pepper is known throughout  México, although there are many name changes from one region to another. The name Chiltepín is derived from two Nahuatl words: “Chillitl”, or chilli, and “tecpintli”, meaning flea.

It is logical to think that the name is due to their small size, but do not underestimate them, they are quite spicy. They are consumed during all of their three stages, green fresh cut of the plant green, red when mature and dry when they had changed to a reddish copper color.These chilies are used for stews and sauces.

More than a recipe, this is just a process to make your own hot dry pepper powder, one that you can also use not just for the fruits, salsas, and Mexican stews, but for your own cooking creations.

How to make hot piquín pepper powder

JUMP TO FULL INSTRUCTIONS

Directions:

Hot Piquín Pepper Powder | Peppers in MolcajeteHot Piquín Pepper Powder | easy and with excellent results

  • Place the dry peppers in a mortar, Molcajete, or spice grinder and grind until it forms a fine powder-like mixture. (Please check the ingredients list below)

Hot Piquín Pepper Powder | Cook all your favorite dishesHot Piquín Pepper Powder | step by step instructions with photos of the process.

  • Add salt and mix. Sprinkle over the fruit of your choice with lime juice and enjoy!
Hot Piquín Pepper Powder | Mexican Recipes

Enjoy!

Hot Piquín Pepper Powder | Mango

Mely,

Share on your social networks; it only takes 5 seconds. Thanks. EN ESPAÑOL.

More recipes.

Hot Piquín Pepper Powder

Mely Martínez
More than a recipe, this is just a process to make your own hot dry pepper powder, one that you can also use not just for the fruits, salsas, and Mexican stews, but for your own cooking creations. Hot Piquín Pepper Powder Sprinkled over Fruit, another Street Food from Mexico.
5 from 3 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Total Time 10 mins
Course Appetizers
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 24 tsps
Calories 1 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • Seasonal Fruits like watermelon pineapple, mangos in the Summer or Oranges in the winter.
  • ½ cup of Chile Pequin Dried *
  • Lime juice to add to your fruit
  • 1 tablespoon of Salt

Instructions
 

  • Place the dry peppers in a mortar, Molcajete, or spice grinder and grind until it forms a fine powder-like mixture.
  • Add salt and mix. Sprinkle over the fruit of your choice with lime juice and enjoy!

Notes

* If Piquín pepper is not available in your area, use any other dry spicy pepper. Some ethnic stores carry Thai or Indian dry peppers.
* This mix will also be a great addition to your next barbecue spicy rub or as a substitute for cayenne pepper powder.

Nutrition

Calories: 1kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSodium: 6977mgSugar: 1gVitamin A: 66IU
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Anna Austin

    December 28, 2017 at 5:23 pm

    5 stars
    I live in Missouri and cannot do d Chile sequin locally. Do you know of a reputable source where I can order them from. I love this little Chile, we used it green in fresh salsa, and one ground over a bowl of menudo blanco is fabulous.

    Reply
    • mmartinez

      December 28, 2017 at 8:50 pm

      Hello Anna,
      You can find them sold at Amazon, check this link: http://amzn.to/2Ckatz6

      Reply
  2. Prieta

    August 24, 2013 at 6:32 pm

    5 stars
    Hi Mely. I love pico de gallo, which is what we call this delicious treat. This is very big in my family and, like you, I like to make my own chile mix. Sometimes I use sumac to give it the lemony flavor.
    Did you know that this pepper is not the true chiltepin? The true chiltepin is a round pepper half the size of the piquin. It is a wild fruit that grows in the Sonoran dessert, under the mesquite trees to get protection from the sun. Because of its high demand the chiltepin is very pricey; I have bought it for $33.00 a pound but some times it's more expensive. The chiltepin is a wild pepper but people has tried to cultivate it and commercialize it. The piquin is a version of the domesticated one that is easy to grow, more accesable and easy on the wallet.
    Thanks for sharing this snack. Sometimes the most simple recipes are the ones that represent our culture in the best ways. And for us who live outside Mexico, they evoke wonderful memories. Besos.

    Reply
    • Mely

      August 29, 2013 at 4:56 pm

      Great info, Prieta

      Thanks for the valuable information, specially from someone who loves chiles, like you.

      besos guapa!

      Reply
  3. Byte64

    August 22, 2013 at 8:03 am

    YO QUIERO UNO!

    Un abrazo
    Tlaz

    Reply
    • Mely

      August 29, 2013 at 4:57 pm

      Me too!
      Saludos Flavio.

      Reply
  4. Swathi Iyer

    August 21, 2013 at 11:31 pm

    That is great, we used eat tart mango with chili powder and salt. But sweet ones will be wonderful idea Mely.

    Reply
    • Mely

      August 21, 2013 at 11:47 pm

      Really Swathi? We do that too in Mexico. So many similarities with Indian food.

      Reply

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ABOUT ME

Mexico in my kitchen | Mely Martinez

Hi, I'm Mely Martinez, a former Mexican school teacher, home cook, and food blogger. I moved to the United States about ten years ago, after living in Mexico my whole life. Now I love to share home-style recipes for authentic Mexican food.

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