Chiles, Fresh Green and Red

For many years, anyone in need of fresh green chiles (Capsicum annuum v. annuum) had to be content with whatever was available, mostly jalapeños and serranos. Now we can find the particular chiles we need for most cuisines. For Parsi food, the fresh chile of choice is again the cayenne variety, commonly sold as chile de árbol or labeled as a Thai chile. Even the tiny, hot Vietnamese chiles will do in a pinch. Serranos and jalapeños, however delicious, don’t have the “correct” taste or texture. Look for long, hot green chiles at farmers’ markets and groceries catering to Indians and Southeast Asians. Fresh red chiles de árbol are more mature versions of the same chile.