Bhut Jolokia pepper or commonly known as Naga Jolokia, is the hottest chili pepper in the world, certified by Guinness World Records in 2007. It has a maximum heatness that reached 1,041,427 SHU (Scoville Heat Unit), or 400 times hotter than Tabasco sauce. This hot chili pepper is often referred to as Ghost Chili by the western media.
Bhut Jolokia is a natural-occurring interspecies hybrid from the Assam region in northeastern India, bearing mostly C.chinense and some C. frutescens genes. It grows in Assam, Nagaland, and Manipur in India, the Sylhet region of Bangladesh, and in rural Sri Lanka where it is known as Nai Mirris (Cobra Chilli).
Bhut Jolokia pepper is sub-conical to conical in shape, with rough or uneven fruit surface, measuring 6-8.5 cm long and 2.5-2.95 cm wide. Young pepper is green color, ripening to red.
In India, Bhut Jolokia pepper is used in homeopathic preparation for stomach ailments. It is also used as a spice and remedy for summer heat, by inducing perspiration in the consumer. In northeastern India, the pepper is smeared on fences, and incorporated in smoke bombs as a safety precaution to keep wild elephants at bay.
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Thaumaturgist
