Hot Pepper 'Aji Charapita'

Medium Heat (30,000-50,000 SHU). Selling for very high prices to Lima’s best chefs, this pepper is the most expensive in the world! The north Peruvian jungle native produces hot, small (.25 inch), round Tepin-like peppers. The pepper has a distinct fruity, citrus aroma and is equal in heat to a cayenne pepper. Due to its rarity and hefty prices, it is often known as the "Mother of All Chilis" and is very hard to source outside of Peru. Used fresh, this tiny pepper is known to have a strong fruity flavor that gives salsas and sauces a unique tropical taste. More often, it is used as powder for various dishes. The Aji Charapita is a popular house plant in Peru, where the delicious peppers are harvested as needed right in the kitchen. One pepper can season an entire dish.