ancho
ancho Lexical Profile
• noun
The broad, heart-shaped edible fruit pod of the poblano chili pepper (Capsicum annuum), typically harvested when ripe and red and dried for culinary use as a mild, sweet-flavored chili vegetable.
"The chef rehydrated the dried ancho in warm water before blending it into a rich enchilada sauce."
A dark, reddish-brown culinary spice powder ground from dried poblano chili peppers, widely used in Mexican and Southwestern cuisine to add smoky sweetness and mild heat to moles, rubs, and stews.
"A pinch of ground ancho gives the hot chocolate a subtle, smoky warmth."
Word Nuance & Usage
In culinary terminology, an ancho is specifically the dried, ripened red form of the poblano chili pepper, whereas the fresh, unripened green pepper is referred to as a poblano.
• Rhymes for ancho
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed from Mexican Spanish 'chile ancho' (literally 'wide chili'), from Spanish 'ancho' ('broad, wide'), which derives from Latin 'amplus' ('large, spacious').
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.