Hungarian wax peppers have a thin, edible skin so it is unnecessary to peel them before
adding to stews and salads as a colorful and spicy element. The seeds and membranes in chile
peppers contain most of the capsaicin, the compound that lends them their mouth-searing
qualities. Even though Hungarian wax peppers are not very hot, you can reduce the heat further
by removing their seeds and veins. Hungarian wax peppers are often used in Hungarian soups and
stews but are not usually found in Hungarian goulash, where paprika is the major spice. These
peppers are also often pickled.
Buying and Storing Tips
Hungarian wax peppers are available in grocery stores and specialty stores in the produce
section. Store in a paper bag in the refrigerator for about a week.
Varieties
The Hungarian wax pepper is a pastel yellow
chile pepper also known as the hot yellow pepper or hot wax pepper. The Hungarian wax is
closely related to the mild banana pepper. These peppers appear so much alike they cannot
usually be distinguished except by taste. The Hungarian wax pepper tapers to a rounded point
and averages about 6 inches (15cm) in length and is about 1 1/2 inches (3.8cm) wide.
Hungarian wax peppers are medium hot, with heat scores that range between 5,000 and 15,000
Scoville heat units. How high a chile scores on the heat scale is determined by
high-performance liquid chromatography measurement of how many parts per million of capsaicin
it contains. This figure is then converted into the historic Scoville heat units that signify
how much dilution is necessary to drown out the chile’s heat. The heat level of a chile
is given as a range because it can vary depending on how and where the pepper was
cultivated.
**Foods that are an “excellent source” of a particular
nutrient provide 20% or more of the Recommended Daily Value, based upon United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines. Foods that are a “good source” of a
particular nutrient provide between 10 and 20% of the USDA Recommended Daily Value.
Nutritional information and daily nutritional guidelines may vary in different countries.
Please consult the appropriate organization in your country for specific nutritional values
and the recommended daily guidelines.
The information presented in the Food Guide is for informational purposes
only and was created by a team of US–registered dietitians and food experts. Consult
your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any
supplements, making dietary changes, or before making any changes in prescribed medications.
Information expires June 2009.
