Los pimientos peruanos no se encuentran frescos en Estados Unidos, pero sí congelados
Los pimientos son la base de la cocina peruana, y aunque casi nunca llegan frescos a Estados Unidos, los congelados son un sustituto adecuado.
Peruvian cuisine draws inspiration from three geographical regions, the Pacific, the Andes, and the Amazon, and from the fusion of numerous cultures. Its stews, soups, ceviches, and sauces share a fundamental ingredient: ají, or chili pepper. According to Frontier Co-op, there are approximately 300 varieties.
Peppers and Peru have been linked for at least 8,000 years, long before the Inca civilization. The ají amarillo is the most widely used variety and, along with the rocoto, limo, panca, and mirasol (a dried version of the ají amarillo), forms the core group of peppers in the country's cuisine.
Fresh peppers are readily available in Peru, but they're rarely found in the United States. Frozen peppers are a good substitute: according to Pepper Geek, they barely change in flavor, color, or spiciness, and can be stored in the freezer for up to a year. Peruvian-origin pepper pastes, powders, and pickled peppers are also available.
The aji amarillo starts out green, turns yellow, and tends toward orange as it ripens. It has a fruity, sweet, and spicy flavor. Mixed with mayonnaise, it makes a popular aioli; it's a key ingredient in lomo saltado and is used to marinate ceviche. The milder aji mirasol is used in marinades, sauces, and dressings.
The rocoto pepper is the hottest of these peppers, up to 40 times hotter than a jalapeño on the Scoville scale, according to PepperScale. It's used in rocoto relleno and huacatay sauce. Limo takes its name from Lima, the capital, and not from lemons.
The ají panca is the least spicy. Its powder is used as a spice in anticuchos and, according to Kosmos Peru, also accompanies beef heart dishes. These peppers are rarely found fresh in the United States, but frozen, dried, or processed into a paste or powder, they offer an authentic Peruvian flavor.
