Ají amarillo, also called amarillo chili and ají escabeche, is a cultivar of the ají species of domesticated chili pepper (Capsicum baccatum). It is typically associated with the Andean region, and with Peruvian and Bolivian cuisine. The fruit tends to be very pungent, and registers 30,000 to 50,000 on the Scoville Heat Unit scale.
Ají amarillo literally means "yellow chili"; however, the yellow color appears when cooked, as the mature pods are bright orange.
It is used as a condiment, especially in many dishes and sauces. In Peru the chilis are mostly used fresh, and in Bolivia dried and ground. Common dishes with ají amarillo are the Peruvian stew Ají de gallina ("Hen Chili"), Papa a la Huancaína and the Bolivian Fricasé Paceño, among others. In Ecuadorian cuisine, ají amarillo, onion, and lemon juice (amongst others) are served in a separate bowl with many meals as an optional additive. In Colombian cuisine, Peruvian cuisine, and Ecuadorian cuisine, ají sauce is also a common condiment.
