Even though this pepper has the word ‘chocolate’ in it, it is anything but creamy and sweet. This pepper will leave you reeling and some say it is even hotter than the Carolina pepper which is known as the hottest pepper in the world.
In this piece, we will tell you everything you need to know about the chocolate Bhutlah pepper so that you can decide whether to keep a safe distance from it or take the risk of using it in your cooking for things such as salsas, hot sauces, and spice rubs.
What Is A Chocolate Bhutlah?
The chocolate Bhutlah is a very hot pepper that reaches 2,000,000 units on the Scoville scale.
If you are not familiar, the Scoville scale is a measurement of heat or spiciness of chili peppers, it is named after the person who invented the scale in 1912 and is still the most practical method of measurement used today.
Even though the Carolina reaper sits above the chocolate bhultah pepper on the Scoville scale at 2,200,000, many say that it does not taste as hot.
This may be due to the way that the capsaicin (the component that makes chilis hot) is distributed in the pepper and thus making the heat hit your mouth much faster than it does in a Carolina reaper.
On the slim chance that your mouth has not been numbed by the heat of this pepper, you may be able to pick up on its earthy and floral flavor.
The chocolate Bhutlah was created by combining a bhut jolokia (ghost pepper) and a chocolate douglah which is where it gets its name from. It is said that the chocolate Bhutlah was created by one man and his friend in Wisconsin and thus created two different strains.
Because of how it was created, the chocolate bhultah simply looks like a mix between a bhut jolikia and a chocolate douglah. This combination makes it look like a big raisin as it has a dark brown color and a wrinkly texture.
What Are They Used For?
Since they are so hot, it may be hard to imagine wanting to cook with them, but it can be done!
When they are added to food, it is always in a controlled manner and goes well with salsas, soups, stews, and sauces that need a bit of a kick that other peppers might not be able to achieve.
The best way to use chocolate bhultahs in your cooking is to dehydrate and ground them so that they become chili flakes or powder which makes it a lot easier to keep the amounts small and controlled.
As an obvious warning, you should only use peppers as spicy as the chocolate Bhutlah if you like very spicy food.
If you add too much, you can suffer from a numb mouth and sore throat but even though it might be painful when you’ve accidentally added too much, eating this pepper can actually benefit your health.
One of these benefits is that they boost your metabolism which controls how fast you burn calories, helping you lose weight. You may also experience a decreased appetite when you eat hot peppers which also aids in weight loss if you’re brave enough.
Growing Your Own Chocolate Bhutlah
You can get chocolate bhultah peppers and seeds online or in some select stores, but you can also grow them yourself if you prefer. The peppers take at least three and a half months until they are ripe in the late season.
They do best in a dry climate and can produce at least 20 pods at a time.
If you can’t get your hands on a chocolate bhultah pepper, a good substitute is the Carolina reaper, Trinidad scorpion, and the Komodo dragon as they all have similar heat levels on the Scoville scale.
