Capsicum chinense
Aji Charapita - Scoville, Taste & Uses
Aji Charapita peppers look like tiny golden berries. Each one delivers tropical fruit aroma and quick heat around 30,000 to 50,000 SHU. Peruvian Amazon communities sprinkle them whole into soups, fish stews, and coconut curries. The peppers pop in the mouth, releasing citrus and mango notes. Because they are delicate, chefs often add them raw at the table. Fresh charapita once sold for high prices abroad, even labeled “world’s most expensive pepper.” Bright pearls, jungle treasure - approved by the Ministry of Rainforest Heat. Aji Charapita typically measures 30,000-50,000 SHU (Hot). Shows up across Peru, Amazonian jungle in condiments, pickles, and marinades. Float whole charapita berries in soups, stews, and ceviche for bursts of heat. Crush them with lime and salt to make table salsa. Mix into mayonnaise or aioli for seafood. Because they lose aroma when cooked long, add them at the end or serve raw. They pair with coconut milk, fish, plantains, and tropical fruit. Drying is possible but reduces the signature pop. See sauces using Aji Charapita
Also known as: Amazon Pepper, Charapita Berry
Species
Capsicum chinense
Heat
Flavour
Hot, Fruity, Citrusy, Bright, thin-skinned
Origin / Regions
Peru, Amazonian jungle
Colour / Shape
Bright golden yellow when ripe
Pod size
0.5-1 cm diameter, round
Try it in the wild
Get sauces featuring Aji Charapita
3 European small-batch sauces - flavour, fire and occasionally a bit of chaos, in a box.
Sauces Using Aji Charapita
Explore how makers use Aji Charapita across styles and regions.
Mango Sweet Chili
by Chicos Farm
Sun-kissed mangoes in a sticky sweet hot swirl! Smoothly sweet and slightly spicy. Be aware, this sauce might cause addiction! The sweetness of ripe, Portuguese-grown mangoes takes a bold detour from the traditional sweet chili. Why? Because the mango is fermented, along with aromatics like garlic and ginger, and flamed with our own Aji Charapitas and Sugar Rush Stripey! This process creates a deeper, fruit-forward sweetness, with a light, refreshing edge and just the right amount of heat to warm you up while you slowly get addicted to this bottle of bliss. Try not to use it for everything. But when in doubt, we suggest it as a dipping sauce for gyozas, summer rolls, or drizzled over fried chicken, fried rice and stir-fried noodles.
Not Just Sweet Chili
by Chicos Farm
Not your average sweet chili, rich, savoury, and deeply caramelised. Get ready for Funkytown. This sauce is a non-stop bus of deep caramel tones, sweet fruity vibes, and bold savoury undertones. Built on a fermented base of garlic and ginger, boosted with fish sauce and hoisin, and fired up with our Aji Charapitas and Sugar Rush Stripey peppers. The result? Less candy-sweet, more flavour-packed. Think classic sweet chili sauce, but with depth, body, and soul. We love it as a dipping sauce for summer rolls, gyozas, or fried chicken. It also shines drizzled over rice bowls, noodle stir-fries, or even used as a glaze for meat or roasted vegetables.
Flavour & Aroma
Aji Charapita peppers look like tiny golden berries. Each one delivers tropical fruit aroma and quick heat around 30,000 to 50,000 SHU. Peruvian Amazon communities sprinkle them whole into soups, fish stews, and coconut curries. The peppers pop in the mouth, releasing citrus and mango notes. Because they are delicate, chefs often add them raw at the table. Fresh charapita once sold for high prices abroad, even labeled “world’s most expensive pepper.” Bright pearls, jungle treasure - approved by the Ministry of Rainforest Heat.
Float whole charapita berries in soups, stews, and ceviche for bursts of heat. Crush them with lime and salt to make table salsa. Mix into mayonnaise or aioli for seafood. Because they lose aroma when cooked long, add them at the end or serve raw. They pair with coconut milk, fish, plantains, and tropical fruit. Drying is possible but reduces the signature pop.
Heat Profile
Scoville range
30,000-50,000 SHU
Heat label
Hot
Harvest window
Year round in tropics, summer to autumn elsewhere
Sauce Index count
3
History & Culture
Charapita grows wild in the Peruvian Amazon near Tarapoto, hence the name. Indigenous peoples cultivated the tiny pepper for centuries, using it medicinally and in daily cooking. As Peruvian gastronomy gained global fame, chefs prized charapita’s unique form and aroma. Export demand led to greenhouse cultivation in Europe and North America, though the pepper remains a symbol of Amazonian biodiversity.
Botany & Growing Notes
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Start charapita seeds in warm, humid conditions about 12 weeks before transplanting. Provide bottom heat at 28°C for quicker germination. Transplant into well-drained soil and partial shade, mimicking forest understory. Plants form bushy shrubs about 60 cm tall, producing clusters of berries. Maintain consistent moisture and high humidity. Harvest gently to avoid crushing pods.
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- 3 × 100 ml sauces (varied styles)
- Tasting card & pairing pointers
- Ships EU-wide; limited runs
Trial Box
One-off box to explore heat and flavour across different sauce styles. No commitment; just taste and take notes.
Buy Trial BoxFAQ
Aji Charapita typically measures 30,000-50,000 SHU (Hot). Ranges shift with cultivar and growing conditions.
Hot, Fruity, Citrusy, Bright, thin-skinned
Amazon Pepper, Charapita Berry show up as common aliases depending on region. This pepper's alternate names mostly come from regional dialects.
Consider Cayenne, Chiltepín, Italian Calabrian, Pequin for comparable heat or recipes.
- Cayenne - Hot
- Chiltepín - Hot
- Italian Calabrian - Hot
- Pequin - Hot
Float whole charapita berries in soups, stews, and ceviche for bursts of heat. Crush them with lime and salt to make table salsa. Mix into mayonnaise or aioli for seafood. Because they lose aroma when cooked long, add them at the end or serve raw. They pair with coconut milk, fish, plantains, and tropical fruit. Drying is possible but reduces the signature pop.
Start charapita seeds in warm, humid conditions about 12 weeks before transplanting. Provide bottom heat at 28°C for quicker germination. Transplant into well-drained soil and partial shade, mimicking forest understory. Plants form bushy shrubs about 60 cm tall, producing clusters of berries. Maintain consistent moisture and high humidity. Harvest gently to avoid crushing pods.
Use gloves, ventilation, and soap to remove capsaicin oils.
Sources
- Republic of Heat tasting lab field notes
- Producer dossiers submitted through Directus
- Open cultivar registries & academic pepper research
We cross-reference seed banks, peer-reviewed literature, and reputable producer data for SHU and origin claims.
Reviewed by Republic of Heat - last updated 2025-11-10