The dried chile Serrano is a mildly spicy Mexican pepper. Fresh, the green Serrano peppers are crunchy and spicy, but once ripened and dried the taste of the pepper changes. The pepper gets a sweet, fruity and smoky taste. This is because the pepper hangs longer on the plant and is dried. The name Serrano is derived from sierra, which means mountain in Spanish. This is because the pepper originally comes from the mountains in northern Mexico. The dried peppers are widely used to make sauces and marinades, but actually the pepper can be added as a seasoning to any dish.

Preparation
– Fry the dried chillies in a dry frying pan on medium heat for about 2 minutes. This will release the essential oils and give them more flavour. Then rehydrate by soaking them in hot water for about 15/20 minutes, then chop as you prefer.
– Place the dried chillies in a food processor and grind them until they have the coarse texture you prefer, flakes or powder.