Ruqutu or luqutu.

The left picture shows one of the plants grown for producing seed and delicious spicy fruits this 2019, just a few kilometres from Barcelona. As with all plants grown here, it is done biologically and not using any kind of synthetic phytosanitary product.

Known in quechua as ruqutu, in aymara as luqutu, by Spanish-speaking people in Bolivia, Peru and Chile as rocoto or locoto and in the USA as manzano pepper, this plant within the pepper family (Capsicum pubescens) produces quite a hot fruit, but full of flavour at the same time. Its heat power can reach up to 60.000 SHU (Scoville Heating Units). It resists the mild mediterranean winters if not far from the coast.

Almost completely unknown in Europe, this chilli species is very interesting for the intense flavour that accompanies its spiciness thanks to the spongefullness of its pericarp. Peruans know what they do when they use it for its ceviche or rocoto relleno.