The cascabel chili (little bell), also known as the rattle chili, is another of the marvelous Mexican Chiles member of the Capsicum annuum species. The 'rattle' and 'bell' designations describe the tendency of loose seeds to rattle inside a dried cascabel when shaken. The Cascabel is a plump, round, smooth and small chile that ripens from green to red. When dried, the color darkens to a deep reddish-brown with an almost transparent but thick skin. When mature they are about 1-1/2” in diameter. Unlike many chiles these are known by the same name whether fresh or dried. Recipes that call for Cascabel chiles typically are referring to the dried chile. They are perfect to roast on a hot skillet before using and then they can either be ground or rehydrated in warm water so they can then be made into a paste or a sauce. We also like to pair these with other Mexican chiles for more complex depths of flavor. If you are rehydrating these we recommend not soaking them for more than 20 minutes or they become bitter. The nutty taste of roasted Cascabel’s pairs equally well with tomatoes or tomatillos in casseroles, enchiladas, fajitas, salsas, sauces, soups, stews, tamales and tacos. The flavor profile of the Cascabel is woodsy, acidic and slightly smoky with tobacco and nutty undertones. This chile is considered a mild heat chile (1,000-2,500 on the Scoville Heat Scale).