X-cat-ik are pale yellow chiles with an undulating cone shape. They are long, up to 4 inches (11 cm) but thin, no more than 1 inch (2 to 3 cm) at their widest part.
They are often charred before use, and then included in a dish whole without peeling or slicing. They are particularly used in seafood and sea fish dishes, and in poultry stews. Sometimes they are roasted and then slightly pickled in bitter orange juice or vinegar.
They’re part of a group of chiles that Mexicans think of as Güero Chiles. Mexicans consider X-cat-ik Chiles to be moderately to very hot; non-Mexicans class them as just plain hot.
History Notes
Native to Yucatán Peninsula.
Language Notes
In Mayan, the name means “blonde”.