Dec
This Chilli has been grown for centuries in the Assam region of North Eastern India. Until very recently it has remained unknown in most of the World for a long time.
That was until Paul Bosland of The New Mexico State University got hold of it. After trying the chilli and feeling like he was breathing fire he thought ‘that has to be some record heat’
In 2007 The Guinness World Records confirmed that the Naga Jolokia was the hottest Chilli in the world with a Scoville Heat Unit (SHU) rating of over 1,000,000.
The Scoville rating is used to measure the heat of all chillies and is named after it’s creator, Wilbur Scoville.
The system measures the amount of water needed to make the chilli heat undetectable, so one drop of Jalapeño will require 2,500 – 8,000 drops of water and one drop of Naga Jolokia will require up to 1,000,000 drops of water to make the heat undetectable.
The smallest amount of this chilli when added to a sauce can make it exceptionally hot and for some it will be almost inedible.
The name “Naga Jolokia” translates into English as King Cobra Chilli.
In terms of appearance The Naga Jolokia is similar in appearance to the Habanero but they have a rougher skin and are less circular and more stretched.
The pods should measure 60mm to 85mm long and be 25mm to 30mm wide with a red or orange colour.