dried poblano chili nyt crossword – All Crossword Answers
Welcome! If you're stuck on the clue "dried poblano chili" from a New York Times crossword or any other puzzle, you've come to the right place. Below you'll find the most common and accurate solution, along with helpful explanations to boost your crossword-solving skills.
Solutions for "dried poblano chili nyt crossword" by Letter Count
5 Letters
ANCHO: A dried poblano pepper, commonly used in Mexican cuisine for its mild heat and rich, fruity flavor.
More About "dried poblano chili nyt crossword"
The term "dried poblano chili" almost exclusively points to the ANCHO pepper in the culinary world and crosswords. The poblano pepper is a mild chili pepper originating in the state of Puebla, Mexico. When fresh, it's widely used in dishes like chile relleno.
However, once it's harvested and dried, the poblano undergoes a transformation in flavor, becoming darker, sweeter, and more complex, evolving into the ancho chili. Ancho chilis are a cornerstone of many traditional Mexican moles and sauces, providing a deep, rich flavor profile with very little heat.
Knowing this specific culinary conversion (poblano → ancho when dried) is a common piece of knowledge that often appears in crosswords, especially those with a focus on global cuisine or common pantry ingredients. It's a great example of how niche knowledge can be a big help in solving tricky clues.
Tips For Your Next Puzzle
- Think Culinary: Many crosswords include clues related to food, spices, and ingredients from various cultures. If a clue sounds like a food item, consider common names, especially in their dried or processed forms.
- Consider Etymology & Origin: Sometimes, the origin of a food item (like a Mexican pepper) can point to a Spanish or indigenous word.
- Patience with Specificity: Clues like "dried poblano chili" are highly specific. If you don't know it immediately, sometimes solving surrounding letters will reveal enough to make the unique word (like ANCHO) obvious.
- Look for Common Puzzles within Puzzles: Crossword constructors often reuse certain specific knowledge. Once you learn that a "dried poblano" is an ANCHO, remember it, as it will likely appear again in future puzzles.
For more advice, visit our page on general crossword strategies.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an ancho chili?
An ancho chili is simply a dried poblano pepper. When fresh, the pepper is called 'poblano,' and once it has been dried, it earns the name 'ancho,' which translates to 'wide' in Spanish, referring to its broad shape.
How can identifying food-related clues help in crosswords?
Recognizing food-related clues like 'dried poblano chili' can be a great advantage. Many puzzles feature common culinary terms, ingredients, or dishes. Familiarity with global cuisines, spices, and cooking methods can often lead you directly to the answer or help narrow down possibilities, especially when dealing with specific regional ingredients like ancho chilis.
Are all 'chili' clues about food?
While many 'chili' clues refer to the pepper or the dish (like chili con carne), the word 'chili' can also refer to a cold sensation or a cold-related illness. Always consider the context of the clue and surrounding letters. For instance, 'A winter shiver' could also be 'CHILL'.