Naga Morich



The Naga Morich (also known as Bhut Jolokia, Ghost Chili, Naga Jolokia, and of course Ninja Pepper) is a chili pepper that grows in Bangladesh, northeastern India (Assam, Nagaland, and Manipur), and Sri Lanka. In 2006, the Bhut Jolokia was confirmed by Guinness World Records to be the hottest chili in the world, displacing the Red Savina as well as the Caribbean Red Habanero. Disagreement has arisen on whether it is a Capsicum frutescens or a Capsicum chinense. The Indians claim it is a C. frutescens but the derived cultivar Dorset Naga was assessed as a C. chinense''. Recent DNA tests have found both C. chinense and C. frutescens genes.

Nomenclature


It is called Nai Miris in Sri Lanka (Nai = 'Cobra', Miris = 'Chili'; in Sinhalese) and Bih Jolokia in the Indian state of Assam (Bih = 'poison', Jolokia = 'chili pepper'; in Assamese language|Assamese). Other names are Bhut Jolokia (Bhut = 'ghost', probably due to its ghostly bite or introduction by the Bhutias from Bhutan poison chili), Oo-Morok in Manipur (Oo = 'Tree', 'Oo' pronounced as in Book, Morok = 'Chilli'), Borbih Jolokia, Nagahari, Nagajolokia, Naga Morich, Naga Moresh and Raja Mirchi ('King of Chillies'). Regardless of the nomenclature, they all refer to the same plant. The word Naga, meaning "cobra snake" in Sanskrit, stems from Nagaland and the Naga people|Naga Community.

Ripe peppers measure 2 to 3 inches long and 0.5 to 1.0 inches wide with an orange or red color. They do not resemble the Habanero pepper as some people seem to think, but have a rougher, dented skin and a more conical overall shape—a main characteristic of the Naga.

Scoville rating
In 2000, scientists at India's Defence Research Laboratory (DRL) reported a rating of 855,000 units on the Scoville scale and in 2004 an Indian export company called Frontal Agritech obtained a rating of 1,041,427 units, rating was obtained through HPLC analysis, unpublished claim. Which would mean it is almost twice as hot as the Red Savina pepper and roughly equal to the similar-looking Dorset Naga, which is derived from the Naga Morich. For comparison, pure capsaicin rates at 15,000,000–16,000,000 Scoville units.

In 2005 at New Mexico State University Chile Pepper Institute near Las Cruces, New Mexico, Regents Professor Paul Bosland found Naga Jolokia grown from seed in southern New Mexico to have a Scoville rating of 1,001,304 SHU by HPLC.

In February 2007, Guinness World Records certified the Bhut Jolokia (Prof. Bosland's preferred name for the pepper) as the world's hottest chili pepper

The effect of climate on the Scoville rating of Naga Morich peppers is dramatic. A 2005 Indian study that compared the percentage availability of capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin in Naga Morich peppers grown in both Tezpur (Assam) and Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh) showed that the heat of the pepper is decreased by over 50% in Gwalior's more arid climate (similar temperatures but less humid, much lower rainfall).

Dorset Naga cultivar


The cultivar Dorset Naga pepper (cultivar status in process) is grown in West Bexington, Dorset, England. It was developed through simple plant selection by Michael and Joy Michaud. Samples sent to two different United States|U.S. laboratories in early 2006 reported heat ratings of 876,000 and 970,000 Scoville scale|Scoville units

Uses
The pepper is used as a spice in food or eaten alone. One seed from a Naga Jolokia can produce sustained intense pain sensations in the mouth for up to 30 minutes before subsiding. Extreme care should be taken when ingesting the pepper and its seeds, so as to not get it in the eyes. It is used as a cure for stomach ailments. It is also used as a remedy to summer heat, presumably by inducing perspiration.

Other Varieties
Caribbean Red Habanero Thai Red Red Savina