Chinese Chili Varieties for Export Puya Chaotian Cayenne and Jinta
Chinese chili is usually sold abroad as "red chili", which is about as useful as selling steel as "metal". These are the four varieties we grade, and what each one is bought for.
Puya, also called Beijing Red or Yidu
A cultivar of Capsicum annuum related to bell peppers, used to flavour dishes, chili sauce, kimchi and other products. Pods run 7 cm and up at 2,000 to 4,500 SHU and a hotness scale of 2 to 4 out of 6.
This is the workhorse. It is mild enough to use in volume, which is why most of our crushed, powder and thread products start from it.
Guajillo, grown in China as Jinta chili. Dark reddish brown, graded at 10 cm and up, mild to moderately hot with a fruity taste.
Chaotian, sold as jalapeno chile
Also called Tianying chili. Short pods at 3 to 5 cm or 3 to 7 cm, with a wide heat window of 4,000 to 20,000 SHU. Described as not too scorching but playfully hot, which is why it covers both mild retail packs and hot sauce bases.
Yunnan cayenne
A slim, long pod, 8 to 12 cm when ripe and red, at 18,000 to 25,000 SHU. This is the heat end of the range and is bought when heat is the reason for the purchase.
Jinta, sold as Guajillo chile
The Mexican Guajillo grown in China. Mild to moderately hot at 10,000 to 15,000 SHU, dark reddish brown, with a fruity taste, graded at 10 cm and up. Bought by Mexican-style sauce producers who want the variety at a Chinese landed cost.
And then there is paprika
Sweet paprika is not a hot chili at all. At 100 to 300 SHU it is bought for colour, and it reaches the same 220 ASTA as our chili grades, or 260 ASTA in pellet form for extraction.
Questions About This Guide
Which variety is the general-purpose one?
Puya, also called Beijing Red or Yidu. At 2,000 to 4,500 SHU it is mild enough to use in volume, which is why most of our ground and cut products start from it.
What is the hottest variety you grade?
Yunnan cayenne at 18,000 to 25,000 SHU, a slim pod 8 to 12 cm long when ripe.
Is Chinese Guajillo really Guajillo?
It is the same Mexican variety grown in China, where it is called Jinta chili. If you are matching an existing spec, send the numbers and we will quote against those rather than against the name.
Put These Numbers on a Purchase Order
Send us the colour, heat and mesh you have settled on and we will quote it landed at your port.