Instructions: The staff of the WHOLE CHILE PEPPER magazine, (Albuquerque, NM) has developed a heat index for chiles. The scale rates chiles from 1 to 10, with 1 being the mildest, and 10 the hottest. The ratings are verified by high pressure liquefied chromatography (HPLC) testing, which measures capsaicin in chiles in parts per million. Chiles (and there are hundreds of different ones) come fresh......and dried...and they have different names for the same chile, when fresh and when dried. Below are listed some of the most common..and their heat rating....

1. JALAPENO, 5 on the heat list. My favorite flavor. Theyre to die for stuffed!. In Mex markets.

2. POBLANO.

3-4 on heat list.The one used for stuffing in Chili Rellenos.

Wonderful! These are what you probably get when you buy canned. I always keep dried to put in sauces. Called ANCHO chiles when dried.

3. SERRANO 6-7 on heat list. The favorite chile in Northern Mexico. Substitute Jalapeno is you like less heat.

4. VERDE, ANAHEIM, OR CALIFORNIO. 2 on the heat scale. A good place to start.

5. CHILE DE ARBOL. 7 on the scale. You could substitute 1/4 tsp. of cayenne for each chile.

6. CHIPOTLE A dried jalapeno. Great for making adobo sauce. Comes in dried form or canned, pickled, with adobo sauce. For a short-cut , mix 6 pickled jalapenos with 1/3 cup tomato sauce and 1 tsp. liquid smoke.

7. JAPONES. 6-7 on scale.

Often described as a dried chile serrano. Same heat scale. Experts (not me)

say its small cayenne variety, some say piquin varity.

8. PASILLA. 3 to 4 on scale. Similar to ancho, but thinner and darker. A GREAT chile!

9. PIQUIN AND CHILE TEPIN. The same chiles, just different size and shape. 8 to 9 on scale. Only Superman eats these. Thats it. Just read an interesting way to skin chiles. Going to try it tomorrow....maybe the next day. Take chile and in a deep saucepan put in about 1 inch of oil. When hot....put in chile, and cook (turning frequently) until almost white. Take out, and put in plastic bag to soften, then peel.

If you would like to email yourself the recipe for later use, or share the recipe with your friends or family, enter the email addresses below and this recipe will be emailed to you and others as well.