Siling haba
Capsicum annuum
A long, bright green chili from the Philippines, prized for moderate heat in sour and savory stews.
Siling haba is a long, light green chili pepper belonging to the Capsicum annuum species. It is a staple of Filipino cuisine, providing a moderate heat that is milder than the smaller siling labuyo.
- Cultivar of Capsicum annuum species.
- Fruit reaches 50,000 Scoville heat units.
- Grows 5 to 7 inches in length.
- Known as espada in Spanish contexts.
- Milder than the siling labuyo chili.
What is Siling haba?
Siling haba, meaning long chili, is a cultivar of the Capsicum annuum species native to the Philippines. The fruit is slender and bright light green, growing to lengths of five to seven inches. It stands apart from the other common local chili, siling labuyo, by being larger and significantly less intense in heat.
Where does Siling haba come from?
This pepper is cultivated in the Philippines, where it serves as one of the two primary chilies in the national culinary tradition.
What does Siling haba taste like?
With a Scoville rating of 50,000, siling haba delivers a hot, pungent kick. Despite this heat, it remains moderate compared to the sharper bite of the smaller siling labuyo variety.
Siling haba, drawn
How Siling haba is used
Cooks use this chili in various Filipino preparations. It appears in sour tamarind-based soups like sinigang, rich pork blood stews such as dinuguan, and coconut milk dishes like pinangat. It also flavors vinegar-cured meats in kilawin and paksiw, as well as the sizzling minced meat dish sisig.
Siling haba in the world's kitchens
The spice belongs firmly to Filipino cuisine. It is one of the two standard chilies used across the archipelago, appearing in both home cooking and restaurant menus to provide warmth without overwhelming the other ingredients.
At a glance: where it turns up
By meal
Cuisines
Meal
It features in hearty main courses and street-side snacks. The pepper adds necessary heat to soups and stews served for lunch or dinner, while its role in sisig makes it a common companion to fast food stalls and casual eating.
Questions people ask about Siling haba
What is the heat level of siling haba?
It registers around 50,000 Scoville units, placing it in the hot category. However, it is considered much milder than the smaller siling labuyo chili commonly grown alongside it.
How does siling haba look?
The pepper is bright light green and elongated. It typically measures between 5 and 7 inches long, giving it a slender profile distinct from rounder varieties.
Which Filipino dishes feature this chili?
It is essential in sinigang for sourness balance, dinuguan for richness, and sisig for a spicy finish. It also seasons kilawin, paksiw, and pinangat.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Siling haba", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). EveryMasala rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. Names, strengths and customs differ from one grower, kitchen or shop to the next. Traditional and medicinal uses are described as tradition, never as medical advice, and none of this is a substitute for a doctor. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-04.
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