By Manuela Lora

I am Dominican and I had never heard of the Panca chili. It is unknown in the Caribbean. I was lucky enough to start trying it thanks to my partner, who little by little showed me the benefits of the rich Peruvian gastronomy.

The Panca or red chili is a key ingredient in the daily cooking of Peru. It is found in many recipes of the Creole cuisine of this South American country, along with garlic and onions, and together with other natural seasonings, it forms the flavor base of the dressings or stews that you prepare.

In Peru, “the point of chili” is a very serious subject. If you are Caribbean, to understand this you must learn the meaning of the presence of chili peppers in Peruvian recipes. This seems to be a hidden ritual in every Peruvian. That moment of using the chili is like a secret ceremony, no matter if it is in the kitchen of the house or in a restaurant.

The thing is that “the point of chili” is respected and required on Peruvian tables, and one of the chili peppers that achieves that “point” is the Panca chili pepper, which can be found fresh or cooked, in cream or paste, whole or chopped, soft and aromatic or intensely spicy.

According to Peruvian historians and researchers, the origin of chili peppers (Capsicum) has been in the area of ​​​​Alto Peru, that is, in the area of ​​​​the Altiplano. From there it made a thousand-year journey throughout the continent, to the point that today it is said that it is one of the most deeply rooted native species in Latin American kitchens, from the extreme north to the south, and from east to west. But it is in Peru where you can find the greatest variety of commercially available species, with regional expressions that are identity marks.

The truth is, at first I didn't understand why Peruvians mentioned "Panca" so much, until one day I ran into a Peruvian woman in a supermarket, and I, who am always chatty, started talking to her about the subject and she said: "Panca is like ketchup for 'Americans' (referring to Americans), we even put it on French fries," she told me, immediately adding a thousand and one tips on its use (which I later put into practice at home). Panca is a red chili pepper (Capsicum chinense), which has been dried in the sun (not to be confused with mirasol chili, which is the dried yellow chili pepper. It has a color between dark brown, black and slightly red. It is consumed dry, ground or chopped, to season or dress food; or in the form of a paste, as a base for the dressing of countless dishes of Peruvian cuisine (and now also Dominican, because I use it almost daily at home). It is also known as red chili or special chili; and you can find it in powder and paste, industrial and homemade.

As it is a chili with little spiciness, it is used rather to give flavor and color. It has a smoky and sweet touch, which allows it to be combined with practically everything. Usually, for the dressings of Creole dishes it is used in the form of a paste or sauce, but it can also be used dry in powder.

Mixed with onion and garlic, panca chili is It is a must in the famous carapulcra, for example, where it gives color and depth to the dried potato; and it cannot be missing in the dressing (marinade, marinade) of the anticuchos, combined with vinegar, oil and cumin. The Arequipeño shrimp soup, of course, includes red chili pepper.