The rocoto is a thick-walled, apple-shaped Andean chilli of the species Capsicum pubescens, with black seeds, hairy leaves and purple flowers, hot and juicy, and central to Peruvian and Bolivian cooking.
What it is¶
The rocoto is the principal chilli of Capsicum pubescens, the least typical of the five domesticated chilli species. It is easy to tell apart:
- Black or dark brown seeds, unlike the cream seeds of every other domesticated chilli.
- Hairy leaves and stems (pubescens means "hairy").
- Purple flowers.
- Thick, juicy walls: the pods are round or apple-shaped, 4–8 cm across, ripening to red, yellow or orange, and look alarmingly like small sweet peppers.
It is hot, roughly 30,000–100,000 SHU, with some sources quoting higher; individual fruit vary a good deal. Names vary by region: rocoto in Peru, locoto in Bolivia, and manzano ("apple") or chile perón ("pear") in Mexico and Central America, where the species is thought to have been introduced in the twentieth century and now grows in the highlands of Chiapas, Michoacán and Guatemala.
C. pubescens is genetically isolated from the other domesticated species: it does not readily cross with them, so rocoto seed saved from a mixed chilli collection usually comes true.
Origins and history¶
C. pubescens was domesticated in the Andes, most likely in what is now Bolivia, and has been grown there and in Peru for thousands of years; it is among the oldest domesticated chillies. It is adapted to the cool, high valleys where other chillies struggle, and it spread along the Andes as a highland crop rather than into the lowlands. The Quechua name rukutu is the source of rocoto.
In Peru, the rocoto became central to the cooking of Arequipa in the southern highlands, whose picanterías, traditional restaurants, serve it stuffed, in sauces and on the side. It has spread more slowly than other chillies, partly because its thick flesh makes it hard to dry, so it could not travel as a dried spice. See peruvian cuisine.
Flavour and aroma¶
Cut a rocoto and it is crisp and juicy, like a bell pepper or an apple, with a fruity, slightly plum-like sweetness. Then comes a clean, strong heat that sits on the tongue and builds, felt more at the front of the mouth than the throat. Unlike most chillies, the rocoto's heat is spread through the thick flesh, not just the placenta, so removing the seeds and ribs reduces it less than you might expect.
In the kitchen¶
- Rocoto relleno: the signature dish of Arequipa. Rocotos are hollowed out and blanched several times (often with vinegar and sugar in the water) to tame their heat, then stuffed with minced beef or pork, onion, garlic, raisins, olives and egg, topped with cheese and baked, usually with a potato and cheese gratin (pastel de papa).
- Crema de rocoto and uchucuta: blended sauces of rocoto with cheese, milk or oil, and herbs such as huacatay, served with potatoes, grilled meats and ceviche.
- Llajwa: Bolivia's everyday table salsa of locoto, tomato and the herb quirquiña (often replaced with coriander), pounded in a stone mortar.
- Ceviche: slivers of rocoto, or rocoto in the leche de tigre, add colour and heat.
- Salsas and pickles: in Mexico and Guatemala, manzanos are sliced into lime-pickled onions and salsas.
💡 Taming a rocoto
To make rocotos manageable for stuffing, cut off the tops, scoop out seeds and veins, then simmer the shells for 5 minutes in water with 1 tbsp vinegar and 1 tbsp sugar. Drain, and repeat two or three times with fresh water. Each round removes more heat.
Wear gloves: the heat in the flesh makes rocoto juice especially hard to wash off. See handling chillies safely.
Buying and storing¶
Fresh rocotos keep for two weeks or more in the fridge, longer than most chillies, thanks to their thick walls. They freeze well, and frozen rocotos and jarred rocoto paste are sold in Latin American shops. They do not dry well; the thick walls tend to rot before they dry, which is one reason the rocoto is almost always used fresh.
Substitutes¶
There is no close equivalent, because nothing else combines the crunch, juice and heat.
- Red habanero: hotter and more perfumed; use less.
- Red bell pepper plus a bird's eye or two, for the crunch and heat together.
- For rocoto relleno, large red bell peppers with a hot chilli in the filling.
- Ají amarillo paste in Peruvian sauces: different flavour, similar role.
Pairs well with¶
Potatoes, fresh cheese, onion, tomato, garlic, lime, coriander leaf, oregano, cumin, beef, pork, guinea pig (in the Andes), fish, corn and olives.
Growing your own¶
Rocotos are the chilli for cooler climates. Unlike most chillies, they prefer moderate temperatures (roughly 15–25°C), dislike intense heat and can tolerate cool nights, though not frost. Sow indoors in February at 20–25°C. Plants are long-lived, woody perennials that can grow to 1.5–2 m or more with age, and they crop best in their second and later years, so grow them in large pots that can come indoors in winter. In Britain they do well in an unheated greenhouse or a sheltered spot outdoors in summer, but fruit ripens late. See growing chillies and overwintering chillies.