Bhut Joklia - Some Like It Hot
Bhut Jolokia (ghost chile)
For many years I have grown and used the PC-1 from India and thought it hot enough, a “new” fiery chile appears from Assam claiming to be the hottest Chile in the world. Is it?
Is it really hotter than the fiery world record holder, Red Savina Habanaro that I also have grown in my garden for years? This is has been of big dispute for several years. Indian Army chaps found it and made the claim of it’s fiery heat. After a couple of years of testing and talking it seems to be the hottest chile in the world, or at least on record at this time.
I recently read of a scientific comparison of various chile heat ratings IE Scoville ratings that Dr. Paul Bosland and the NMSU Chile Pepper Institute did. They thoroughly examined claims of this chile pepper variety named Bhut Jolokia - see detailed report
http://www.fiery-foods.com/dave/sagajolokia.asp
They also mentioned another variety claiming extreme heat by the name of Bih Jolokia. Also a variety surfaced from the UK, named Naga Morich
http://www.thechileman.org/results.php?find=Naga+Morich&heat=Any&origin=Any&genus=Any&chile=1 I myself have tasted foods prepared with the Bhut Jolokia in India. Yes it is extrememly hot, but to me when it gets to the ranks in heat of a Red Savina Habanaro it is over the top.If you too are a ChileHead I recommend subscribing to the Fiery Foods Newsletter of long time chile-friend, Dave DeWitt.
Naga Jolokia (naga morich, bhut jolokia) is the hottest chile in the world at 1,040,000 SHU; primarily found in Northeast Indian state of Assam, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Now also being grown by many in US gardens including mine right herein the San Francisco Bay Area. Capsicums are addictive, and the hotter you eat - the hotter you want, and you can’t stop eating them!
Remember bananas and dairy products such as curd and ice cream calm the mouth after a chile over powering expeirence. I know when to stop when my mouth becomes numb and the top of my head itches. I prefer to cook with a balance of flavours such as in Thai cuisine – the perfect balance of hot-sweet-salty-sour works for me.
I gladly serve a side dish of chiles or nam pla phrik the Thai fish sauce with chiles to allow diners to customize the heat to their liking. I am growing for the second season Bhut Jolokia. Last year my plant did not give up any fruit. I am hoping this year will be fruitful for this healthy over wintered plant that is back in place in my garden.
It and other chiles are growing in raised beds next to the house. This location affords them additional reflected heat. They are on the West side of the house here in the SF Bay Area. I am growing inland 27 miles from San Francisco where summer temps are dry and hot often going over 100 Deg F
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