Red Fresno Chili

This is the Medium Hot Red Chili every ethnicity in Southern California seems to have accepted as fine for their cuisine. While more than a dozen green chilis are in the markets here, there are only three red ones: Red Anaheim (large, mild), Red Fresno (medium, fairly hot), Red Thai Chili (small, very hot). I have seen this chili listed on some European sites, so it seems to be spreading there. Fresno is about 220 miles north of Los Angeles.

When green, the Fresno is said to taste much like the Jalapeno, but I've never seen a green one. Red ripe they have a more complex, smokier flavor and are usually preferred to the red Jalapeno. The largest of the photo specimens was 3-7/8 inches long and 1-1/4 inches wide at the thick end. this is about as large as this chili gets.

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Buying:   While other markets often carry them, you can most reliably find Fresnos in Asian markets, particularly Korean markets, but most other Asian markets as well. Some markets specializing in Mexican and Central American ethnicities often have them as well.

Prep:   Note that the seeds are all concentrated at the top, so this chili is easy to partially or almost completely disarm by removing the core or the core and membranes. The unique flavor of the Fresno remains. To retain heat, remove the stem scrape out the seeds, leaving as much of the membranes as you can. The heat is on the membranes, not the seeds.

Subst:   Red Jalapenos are OK, but not nearly as common as the Fresnos. If shape is important and you need a long narrow chili of similar hotness, then you may be able to find Holland Reds in some supermarkets.