Malagueta pepper

Malagueta pepper(Portuguese pronunciation:[mɐlɐˈɡetɐ]), a variety ofCapsicum frutescens,is a type ofchili pepperwidely used in thePortuguese-speaking world(Brazil, Portugal, Mozambique, Angola, Cape Verde, and São Tomé and Príncipe) and the Caribbean. It got its name from the unrelatedmelegueta pepper, an African spice from Guinea which is a member of the ginger family.
The malagueta pepper is a small, tapered chili that grows to about 5 cm (2 in) in length. It has a range of 60,000 to 100,000Scovilleunits.
Two sizes are seen in markets, which sometimes have different names: the smaller ones are calledmalaguetinhain Brazil, and aspiri piri(aSwahiliname) in Mozambique and in Portugal, though this name is now also used for a newer, derived Africancultivar, thepiri piripepper), while the larger ones are calledmalaguetain both Brazil and Portugal. They are not different varieties, just peppers of different maturities from the same plant. It is also known in Angola by the names ofjindungo,ndongo,nedungo, andpripíriin various local languages. In Cape Verde, malagueta is calledm'laguetaandmarguetain theCapeverdeanlanguage.
Some botanical and culinary writers continue to confuse malagueta chili and melegueta pepper due simply to their similar names.
The first Europeans to have contact with this species were the crew members who accompaniedChristopher Columbuswhen they first landed in theCaribbeanin 1492. In addition to being a noble delicacy much appreciated by the ancient inhabitants of the Americas, it was also used as a natural dye and, above all, as a medicine.
The spicycapsaicincontent of the chilis must have aroused the interest of the Portuguese, who for decades have been looking for easier sources for the then-rareblack pepperof Asia (thepiquantcompound in which ispiperine); one of the major motivations for the Columbian voyages was to discover a new route to Asia for direct trade in spices, silks, and other Asian goods. At the time of Columbus's arrival in the New World, the Portuguese traded from theGulf of Guineaa very popular African spice as a substitute for the black pepper:Aframomum melegueta(today in disuse in theWest, but known as grains of paradise), which was then best known as melegueta pepper. Although African slaves loved the grains of paradise already familiar in their culture, they were fascinated by the fiery Capsicum pepper.The name was applied to the local chilis, asmalagueta, because the chili's piquancy was reminiscent ofOld Worldpepper.
In the period of intense exchanges and trips between Europe and the Americas known today as theColumbian exchange, Portuguese navigators took this new "malagueta" to Portugal and to Brazil, where it became known aschili,chile, orpimenta; to Africa, where it became very popular asjindungoandpiri-piri; and eventually to Asia, where it became an ingredient ofcurriesand other spicy dishes. Because of its qualities, less than a century after being brought to Europe this chili pepper spread to many other Old World cultures and became integrated with local cuisines, including in Arabia, India, Thailand, China, and surrounding regions.
This pepper is used to season many regional dishes and sauces in Brazil and Mozambique. In Portugal, it is mainly used to season poultry dishes and traditional cooking.Moqueca, a traditional dish in Brazil, includes it.
In Brazil, what is now being sold as malagueta may well bea recent hybrid, while what is now referred to asmalaguetinha,malagueta silvestre,malagueta caipiramay well be the original malagueta, and was actually the only malagueta on the market 30 years ago.While there have been claimsthatcumarim,cumari, andpimenta cumarimare other names for malagueta, these are quite different, and they appear to belong to theCapsicum chinensespecies.
In thecuisine of São Tomé and Príncipe,piri-pirisauce made with malagueta peppers is commonly available as acondimentin restaurants throughoutSão Tomé and Príncipe, as well as inPortugal.
In theDominican Republic, malagueta is mixed withallspiceto make a preparation calledpimenta dioica.
In the municipality of Borba, Amazonas, Brazil, the malagueta pepper is also used to ward off the evil eye, which is rooted in feelings of envy.