Takanotsume Pepper, also known as Hawk's Claw Pepper, is a compact hot Capsicum annuum cultivar from Japan with distinctive curved, claw-shaped pods. It delivers 30,000 to 50,000 Scoville heat units and is prized for drying into flakes and spices in Asian cuisine.
The Takanotsume Pepper, known in Japan as 'hawk's claw' due to its talon-like shape, is a popular heirloom variety introduced to the country by Portuguese traders in the 1800s. The slender, curved pods grow upright in clusters on bushy plants reaching about 24 inches tall, starting green and ripening to a vibrant bright red. With a heat level of 30,000 to 50,000 Scoville heat units, it offers a smoky, citrusy flavor with a sharp, quick bite and fresh peppery notes. These peppers are excellent for making hot flakes, powders, hot sauces, and pickling, and they feature prominently in Japanese condiments like shichimi togarashi. The compact size makes them ideal for container gardening, where they produce abundantly and add ornamental value with their colorful upright fruits. Young green pods can also be used in cooking before full ripeness.
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Introduced to Japan by Portuguese traders in the 1800s; popular landrace variety grown for generations in places like Tokyo.
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Reach out →Smoky and citrusy with a sharp, quick bite and fresh peppery taste.
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