Ever tried raw chilli? I’m sure everyone must’ve at least once in their lives tried a raw chilli. A tiny chilli from the grocery store that can make you gulp down two-three bottles of water unless you’re a pro at eating spicy food. However, the grocery store chillies are nothing compared to the one’s that’ll make you feel numb down to your stomach. Some really spicy chillies
exist to make us realize that we can feel fire even without having a fire. That leads us to the top 5 hottest chillies in the world.
5. Naga Viper
A deadly outcome of a three-way hybrid produced from Naga Morich, Bhut Jolokia (aka the ghost pepper) and Trinidad Scorpion some of the hottest peppers in the world, the Naga viper held the title of the world’s hottest chilli pepper by Guinness World records in 2011. Falling in the super-hot chilli pepper category the Naga viper has recorded 1,382,118 Scoville heat units. Since the three-way hybrid is said to be quite unstable, the spiciness and flavour may be different from one another. One might get fooled at first but this pepper slowly releases the heat making it go from 10 to 1000 real quick. Apart from the usual red colour, the Naga Viper has a long pod-like shape with a fruity and tangy flavour to it.
4. 7 Pot Primo
A heating cross between Naga Morich and 7 pot pepper, 7 pot primo is considered as a ‘superhot chilli pepper’ even hotter than the rest of the chillies in the same category. This pepper has approximately reported having 1,473,480 Scoville heat. It was created by Tory Primeaux (nicknamed Primo) a horticulturist from Louisiana. Along with a very vibrant red colour the chilli is said to have a very bumpy and irregular shape.
3. 7 Pot Douglah
Created in Trinidad 7 pot Douglah can hot up to 1,853,986 Scoville units, making it twice hotter than the ghost pepper and 232 times hotter than the hottest jalapeno pepper. Instead of having the typical red colour 7 pot Douglah has a chocolate brown like colour hence it is also called chocolate 7 pot. It has a pod-like long shape. It is said to have a very nutty and fruity taste. 7 pot Douglah falls in the superhot category because of its extreme spicy heat level.
2. Trinidad Moruga Scorpion
Talk about the real devil, Trinidad Moruga Scorpion is one of the spiciest pepper with a heat level ranging from 1,200,000 to a shocking 2,009,231 Scoville heat units. On average it is 475 times hotter than a jalapeno pepper. With a vibrant red appearance, the shape of the Trinidad Moruga scorpion is pod-like but very bumpy. Aside from its deadly heat Trinidad Moruga Scorpion is said to have a tender fruit-like flavour making it a perfect sweet and spicy combination.
1. Carolina Reaper
The heat that can make your insides cry, yes that’s Carolina Reaper. With jaw-dropping Scoville heat units ranging from 1,569,383 to 2,200,000 Carolina Reaper holds the Guinness World record of hottest chilli pepper in the world. Developed by Ed Currie, Carolina Reaper is said to have a red outer cover with a bumpy yet smooth appearance. One unique feature of the reaper is the small devil-like tail coming from the bottom of the pepper. Carolina Reaper has heat 880 times more than a jalapeno pepper and twice as hot as the ghost pepper. If one is actually able to survive the heat of the pepper they might be able to tell that the reaper has a fruity and sweet taste to it as well, however, this can only lead one to the hospital. Don’t underestimate the heat of the current record holder one might say.
Though many contenders are fighting for the position of the world’s hottest chilli pepper, the title still officially belongs to Carolina Reaper. Pepper X developed by the creator of Carolina Reaper is said to have unofficially recorded 3,180,000 Scoville heat units beating Carolina Reaper. There is one more contender that is the dragon’s breath who also have unofficially tested 2,480,000 Scoville heat units, more than the current hottest pepper but less than Pepper X. Even though they might supposedly be the hottest peppers, there is not any official word to confirm it. Finally to say all these chilli peppers are dangerous and spicy and should not be consumed raw however if used considerably with proper precautions they can be a great spice in our regular dishes.
Read about Julia Vins
English