Aji Limon (Lemon Drop) Chilli

The one chilli that actually tastes of lemon. Most chillies get called fruity in a vague sort of way. This one is sharp, clean citrus, close enough that people tasting it blind guess at zest. In Peru it is qillu uchu, a seasoning pepper rather than a heat pepper, and that is the way to think about it.

The pods are slim cones, 6 to 8cm, slightly crinkled, ripening from green to a glossy sunshine yellow. It carries an extraordinary number of them. An established plant will run well past a hundred fruits in a good season, hanging off an upright well-branched frame. The heat is real, around 30,000 to 50,000 Scoville units, which is cayenne territory, but the citrus arrives first and stays.

The catch is height. This one goes to 1.5m or more and gets top-heavy once the pods build up, so put a cane in early rather than trying to rescue it in September. Look at the flowers and you will see the small cream or greenish petal spots that mark a true aji. It is one of the better ajis for drying, and the ground powder keeps the lemon note, which almost nothing else does.