Aji Amarillo – The Yellow Chili Pepper

Aji amarillo, a member of capsicum baccatum pepper species, originates from South America. “Aji” translates to chili pepper and “amarillo” translates to yellow, in spanish.

Aji amarillo is a common condiment within Peruvian, Ecuadorian, and Colombian cuisine. It has roots in South America as far back as 6,000 years and carries historical significance in ancient American, including Incan and earlier, cultures.

The aji grows in diverse climate conditions in South America, from the cool Andean highlands to the Amazonian rainforests.

With the growing Ecuadorian and Peruvian populations, aji amarillo’s popularity has grown in the U.S.A. Below is a Google Trends data on the popularity of aji amarillo.

Today, we’d like to cover the background of the popular aji amarillo and what you can expect.

Aji amarillo is an exotic pepper species originating from South American, specifically Bolivia and southern Peru. The name “aji” comes from the Quechua language, which is spoken by indigenous peoples in the Andean region of South America, and “amarillo” means “yellow” in Spanish. “Aji” was referred to as “uchu” by the Incas and “pepper from the Indies” by the Spaniards.

Active harvesting, or domestication, occurred 4,500 years ago, with fossils being found as far back as 6,000 years. It’s currently domesticated and grown across varying countries in South America, including Ecuador, Peru, Argentina, Peru, Brazil, and more.

Aji amarillo has a unique flavor that mixes fruitiness with heat, that is less subtle and more full bodied. The fruitiness of the aji brings a balance to the heat that it emits.

The Spanish poet, Garcilaso de la vega, wrote about peppers in his book “Royal Commentaries of the Incas“, He described how Incas worshiped the hot pepper, associating aji amarillo with Ayar Uchu, one of four brothers found in the Incan creation stories.

Additionally, within Incan society, aji amarillo peppers were seen as holy plants and avoided during fasting, decorated onto pottery and clothing, and associated with spiritual powers (as depicted monuments).

Today, the aji amarillo is used as a central condiment in varying dishes and sauces across South American countries.

The flavor of Aji amarillo peppers is often described as fruity, with notes of tropical fruit such as mango or pineapple. In addition to their fruity flavor, Aji amarillo peppers have a sweetness to them, which compliments the heat of the pepper.

In terms of heat, on the Scoville scale, which measures the heat of chili peppers, aji amarillo peppers range between 30,000 to 50,000 Scoville heat units. Which is hotter than a jalapeño pepper but milder than a habanero pepper.

Aji amarillo is popularly used as a condiment to other dishes.

The most common recipe for aji amarillo is aji de tomate de arbol, a hot sauce popular in Ecuador and Peru.

Aji amarillo can be dehydrated to make a powder, to be used as a rub on meats and in other dishes.

Growing fresh aji amarillo is not common within the U.S. However, you can buy aji amarillo seeds here.

It is possible to buy frozen aji peppers, imported from Ecuador and Peru at Hispanic grocery stores, including El Condor, an Ecuadorian store in Chicago.

La Paradita Aji Amarillo en Pasta

Additionally, you can buy aji in the form of paste, where the aji is liquified and placed within a jar, with a long shelf life.

Aji amarillo is an exotic treat for fans of spicy food, a staple within Ecuadorian and Peruvian cuisine, and a flavorful supplement to beloved dishes.

With its popularity and flavor profile, discover how aji amarillo fits into your meals.