chinense scorpion questions

[Celeste]

This is going to be my first year to attempt growing peppers so I am only going to start with three varieties, ao I dont make myself insane. I am going to attempt habs from some seeds I got from someone elses hab bounty, they are light orange and seem to be in my comfort range for heat. I'm going to try Aji Limon for my mild pepper, and a scorpion just to have a really hot one and because they look cool. Most of the pics I have seen of scorpions are yellow but the seeds I'm receiving grow red peppers, I am told.


I have already learned there are a gazillion varieties of habs, and will be trying more varieties in the future, I think, but I'd like to know more about scorpions, in general. The million dollar question is, I am sure, how many varieties are there? or, types, or ---I dont know how one categorizes in horticulture. I'm used to species and breeds, but thats in another kingdom altogether. I know how to eat plants and how to kill them, not how to raise them!


Do the different colors of peppers indicate heat level, or only flavor? or is there any relationship?

Once I grow scorpions, what sort of dishes would they be good in? (I'm not eating raw hot peppers, guys, sorry!)

Am I looking at Indian dishes or Tex-Mex, or is there some food culture I havent explored yet that I should try with these? What area/culture do they hail from?

I figure I can vary the heat level by quantity used to suit my taste-I just want to make best use of them.

Thanks for all your help!

 

[Omri]

Depends on your source, but some Scorpions are impossible to eat. simply too hot for consumption. they will definitely spice up your dishes.

Scorpions and other red Chinenses from that region share a similar flavor, so the main difference is heat and color, although different color usually means different flavor.

There are many... too many to keep records of them all.

 

[POTAWIE]

The red version in my opinion is the only real Trinidad Scorpion and is the hottest. People associate any pepper with a "tail/stinger" as being a scorpion but scorpion pods don't always have tails, and certain other peppers occasionally do.
Personally my favorite is the Trinidad Scoprion(ButchT) which is the hottest pepper I've ever tried and has very cool looking pods about 50% of the time for me

 

[Celeste]

Scorpions and other red Chinenses from that region share a similar flavor, so the main difference is heat and color, although different color usually means different flavor.

From what region? I am ignorant on regional origin of peppers.

 

[Omri]

From what region? I am ignorant on regional origin of peppers.

Trinidad.

BTW I agree with POTAWIE on this.
One of the most important qualities of the Scorpion is its extreme heat, and not all "versions" of it have this quality. Butch's Scorpion is too scary for growing the Scorpion for the first time.

 

[Pepperfreak]

I personally love the Trinidad Scorpion and Omri is right, way to hot to eat just a pod. However, once dried and ground up they make great spice. As for the pod they are one of my favorite pod shapes and their color transformations from green to red are spectacular to watch.

 

[AlabamaJack]

T. Scorpions (tail or no tail) that I have grown, when picked straight from the plant, have an extreme, almost painful burn to me...its like red hot electrified ice picks sticking into my tongue and the burn doesn't subside quickly...the actual taste of the scorpion is not as good as the taste of the 7 pot IMHO, however it is good to use in cooking with mixtures of other peppers to create a very interesting "set of burns" in the mouth...I usually mix scorpions with serranos, Tepins, and Orange Thai....

 

[ZanderSpice]

Am I looking at Indian dishes or Tex-Mex, or is there some food culture I havent explored yet that I should try with these?

You can look for Caribbean, Thai, Indonesian and Chinese recipes. Dried and powdered Scorpions will heat up any dish. I also like to run a few fresh Scorpions through the blender and then add it to what I'm cooking or add it back to some salsa or tomato sauce. The food doesn't have to match the pepper's native habitat to be good together. I make a Chinese sauce w/ dried Habaneros, and Thai food w/ sliced Manzanos. It's not traditional, but the food tastes better w/ the Mexican peppers. I've also made great Mexican food w/ Indian and Thai chilies.

 

[Celeste]

The food doesn't have to match the pepper's native habitat to be good together. I make a Chinese sauce w/ dried Habaneros, and Thai food w/ sliced Manzanos. It's not traditional, but the food tastes better w/ the Mexican peppers. I've also made great Mexican food w/ Indian and Thai chilies.

Understood. I make Chakanobe Gumbo with Indian spices....But I knew how to make each of them and understood the nature of the ingredients before I started my "Melting pot". I've followed some really aweful versions of ethnic recipes written by and for people used to a bland diet- what I call Puritan American cooking (you know, the kind I was raised on) and the same folks attempting to"spice up" said bland diet just by adding stuff without taking into account the proper balancing of flavors. PLus, I just like learning about cultures and trying new food So thanks for the hints there! All my attempts at Chinese food have failed, so I either have bad recipes or had best leave Chinese cooking to the Chinese. Carribean, now, that sounds interesting!

 

[Nova]

Trinidad.

BTW I agree with POTAWIE on this.
One of the most important qualities of the Scorpion is its extreme heat, and not all "versions" of it have this quality. Butch's Scorpion is too scary for growing the Scorpion for the first time.

Well i am totally screwed then!!

 

[patrick]

Celeste, the pics of yellow scorpions that you talk of are they on this site? Anybody growing yellow scorpions at this time? Thanks.

 

[Ballzworth]

Patrick,
I'm pretty sure cmpman was sending out seeds for the yellow scorps back in the fall. I'm not sure if he had pics or not but I know I've seen pics here.

 

[Celeste]

Patrick I was doing a search the other night with "scorpions" in the title. I thought quite a few of the pics I looked at were yellow, though it could have just been a stage of ripening. It seems like there was a hot sauce made with yellow scorpions and pineapples, I am too tired to look right now.

If those who know say the only true scorpions are Trinidads, I'll grow those. wouldnt want to be less than authentic. That way I have one superhot in my spice rack. Besides, they look cool.
Since the coolest arachnid scorpion is too "hot" for me to want to keep in my house, I can at least grow its vegetable counterpart!

 

[Pepper Ridge Farm]

The red T. Scorpion pepper is blazing hot not so much with the yellow. That being said the yellow is one of my favorite plants, very tall with a smooth light bark with these beautiful shaped medium hot yellow peppers. Very meaty pepper with all the folds that make up the crease that forms the tail. The red is smaller but has the bigger bite, use in sauce.

 

[chillilover]

I hate those spider webs or nests in them though. I see on one yours. I know they come off when washed but it takes a bit of work.

 

[AlabamaJack]

All my attempts at Chinese food have failed, so I either have bad recipes or had best leave Chinese cooking to the Chinese.

you gotta have a wok...an electric one works fine...then you make stirfry using asian spicing to your palate...stirfry is a great way of cooking...the vegetables are still fresh tasting and it is just all good....

 

[Celeste]

The red T. Scorpion pepper is blazing hot not so much with the yellow. That being said the yellow is one of my favorite plants, very tall with a smooth light bark with these beautiful shaped medium hot yellow peppers. Very meaty pepper with all the folds that make up the crease that forms the tail. The red is smaller but has the bigger bite, use in sauce.

Pepperridge Farm:
I would like to grow those pretty yellow scorpions in addition to the red. I will pm you to purchase seeds.

AJ:

I got a good wok and understand stirfry-I used to make what I called a curry in it all the time, though I think it was really "Indian" stirfry. My problem is I dont have a good knowledge of the spices used in Chinese cooking- I love eating at Chinese restaurants frequented by the Chinese - and the Chinese-American restaurants where all the dishes were invented in this country by Chinese immigrants- but I dont know what flavors I'm tasting in those foods. I was very excited to get a Chinese cookbook- and very disappointed with what I made. But thats a discussion for a different thread.

 

[chillilover]

I can eat a whole orange hab as far a heat tolerence with out drinking. I grew red ones and couldn't even eat a bit of scorp powder on spagetti without drinking. They are insane.

 

[Downriver]

Personally my favorite is the Trinidad Scoprion(ButchT) which is the hottest pepper I've ever tried and has very cool looking pods about 50% of the time for me

COOL! Those are the ones I'm growin this year! Hot damn!

 

[pappywith4]

Celeste, the pics of yellow scorpions that you talk of are they on this site? Anybody growing yellow scorpions at this time? Thanks.

I just put some seeds in the jiffy pods today.