Scotch bonnet chilli pepper, also known as scotty bons, bonney peppers or Caribbean red peppers is a variety of chili pepper. It is named for its resemblance to a tam o shanter hat. Found mainly in the Caribbean islands, it is also in Guyana (where it is called the ball-of-fire pepper), the Maldives Islands (where it is called mirus.
The scotch bonnet chili pepper is widely used in Jamaican cooking. This species of chili pepper is closely related to the Mexican habanero pepper and is similar in many respects.
Ripe scotch bonnet peppers come in many colors – most commonly green, red, yellow and orange. Peppers are small (about 2-4cm in diameter) and irregularly shaped. Scotch bonnet peppers are rounded with wrinkled, crenulated flesh, similar in shape to a Chinese lantern or a traditional Scottish bonnet (for which they are named). The Scotch Bonnet is a great alternative to the Habanero chili.
Most Scotch bonnet peppers have a heat rating of 100,000–350,000 Scoville units. For comparison, most jalapeno peppers have a heat rating of 2,500 to 8,000 on the Scoville scale.
These peppers are used to flavor many different dishes and cuisines worldwide and are often used in hot sauces and condiments. It has has a sweeter flavor and stouter shape, distinct from its habanero cousin with which it is often confused, and gives pork and chicken dishes and other Caribbean dishes their unique flavor.
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Information is for educational and informational purposes only and may not be construed as medical advice. The information is not intended to replace medical advice or treatment offered by healthcare professionals.