Ají panca (Capsicum chinense) — the dark, dried, smoky Peruvian chilli — is ají amarillo's counterpart in the Peruvian flavour vocabulary. Where ají amarillo is fruity, bright, and moderate in heat, ají panca is dark, earthy, smoky, and mild. The two chillies together cover the full aromatic range of Peruvian chilli cooking — their combination in specific preparations produces a complexity neither achieves alone.
- **The flavour:** Dark berry-chocolate notes with a smoky undertone and moderate heat. The closest analogue outside Peru: ancho or mulato chilli - **Paste preparation:** Soaked in warm water to rehydrate, then blended with a small amount of soaking water to a smooth paste - **Primary applications:** Anticucho marinade (PRU-09), adobo preparations, braises - **The combination with ají amarillo:** Used together in adobo — the ají panca provides the dark, earthy base note; the ají amarillo provides the bright, fruity high note. Neither alone produces the adobo flavour
Peru (Acurio)