Tena Chili Flakes

Tena chili, also known as Aji Tena, comes from the region around the city of Tena in Ecuador`s rainforest and is a very popular local variety there.
The longish, red chillies have a fiery heat with 50,000 to 100,000 Scoville and a fine fruity flavour, as it is typical for the South American Aji varieties.

In Ecuador it is mainly eaten fresh, but when dried it also gives stews, soups and sauces a delicious fruity heat.

The advantage of chili flakes is that you can dose them well and sprinkle over your food. As the spicy heat is relatively strong bonded in flakes, only moderately heat can be tasted when eaten pure. Chili flakes develop their full heat in the stomach. However, if you use the same chili flakes during cooking, the capsaicin dissolves and becomes fully bonded with the rest of the food.