Chile Pepper Fun Fact - Natural Black Seeds
There are only a few Chile Peppers that actually have black seeds naturally. One of them is a Manzano and another is the Rocoto Pepper.
The Manzano pepper is one of the exceptions. Its apple-like shape hints at fruity, and it doesn’t disappoint with a refreshing citrus flavor. This fruitiness, along with the chile’s thick walls and tempting medium-heat (12,000 to 30,000 Scoville Heat Units), makes the Manzano a superb salsa chili. That is, when you can find it. The Manzano can be challenging to grow outside of its native cool climate, the Andes, and because of this, it can be tough to find for those outside of Mexico and South America.
The Rocoto pepper (a.k.a. Locoto pepper) may resemble a Bell Pepper in shape, but underneath the hood it’s one chili that’s full of surprises. There’s juiciness and meatiness to this chile – more akin to a tomato than a pepper – that’s set ablaze with surprising heat. The Rocoto can top out at Habanero level spiciness (30,000 to 100,000 Scoville Heat Units), and that often catches eaters by surprise. It’s a unique culinary experience that’s a critical ingredient to both Peruvian and Bolivian cuisines.