food Ideas for Aji Panca

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My Aji Panca are really close to ripe now. More or less black atm so they should be turning more brown soon. Ive seen the videos on making paste but im curious how well they would work in a sofrito (aderezo) for beans.
 
Ive been growing Aji Dulce and Trinidad perfume for that purpose but the suckers are so small. PITA to remove the seeds. The panca are huge by comparison. I got a feeling they would be excellent for black bean stew/soup? I havent tasted one of mine yet but it sounds like they will be just slightly hotter than Aji Dulce.
 
Im sure TGCM could give you a more difinitive answer, but the only time ive seen a fresh Aji Panca is on the plant. In terms of buying and cooking i have only seen it in the dehydrated form, whether in whole pods, powder form or reconstituted and cooked into a paste. I believe its the same deal with the purple corn in Peru, its never used ripe, but instead left on the plant, then picked and used after its completely dried out. Thats not to say you cant use a fresh pod, but ive never tasted one which makes it hard to comment. 
 
For the sofrito question, the answer is and emphatic Yes! Aji Panca (i use powder) is a must when im cooking the base for my beans. Never tried it with black beans specifically but cant see why it wouldnt work. They go very well in stews too, I've made seco de cordero (lamb stew) following TGCM's recipe and it came out smashing. 
 
Edit: Ive put the question out to my mate in Peru about why they dry the Aji Panca, and if they can be used fresh.... i'll let you know what he says....
 
I use aji panca in tons of dishes, but it's always from dried pods or paste. I haven't heard of any traditional uses with the fresh peppers in Peru. That's not to say you couldn't use them in a sofrito, marinade, or other similar dish. From everything I've read on Peruvian Spanish language sites, drying them, then making paste, brings out special flavors, that would otherwise not be present in fresh pods. I also have an aji panca plant with a ton of pods on it right now, but none have ripened yet.

Maybe I'll do an experimental batch of anticuchos with the fresh pods, for the marinade.
 
I have a limited amount of them. They take FOREVER to ripen. I can usually find the paste but didnt see it last time. Problem is the Inca Foods paste is loaded with salt. Costa Peruana sells a panca paste with no salt and all natural too.
https://www.amazon.com/Z%C3%B3calo-Peru-Organic-Panca-Paste/dp/B003D0MP52
http://www.culinarycollective.com/product/zocalo-peru-organic-aji-pastes/
 
I will need to take a drive down to the "Latino" market area if i cant find anymore locally. Dried pods are even harder to find around here but my usual market might have had them before. They moved the dried pepper section last time i was there and i forgot to go look.
 
 
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My local market has a constant supply of dried aji panca. I'm only growing it this year for fun, plus to see how much better home grown, home dried, home made aji panca paste will be.
 
Same here. This year i wanted to try virtually no heat chinenses and i normally see the paste at the market. I may just use the Aji Panca to replace the Aji Dulce and Trinidad perfume next year. My plant did fairly well here considering i just used a Tidy Cat bucket for a pot. I could easily increase production with just 3 plants in fabric pots. My pods are nearly black and very thin walled. Pretty much ideal drying peppers.
 
Better pics of them.
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