Bhut Jolokia (Ghost Chili), found in the northeast hills of India, is the hottest chili in the world. On the Scoville scale for measuring chili hotness, Bhut Jolokia is rated at 1,040,000 SHU, as compared to 2500 to 8000 SHU for a jalapeno and 580,000 SHU for a habanero.

In his report about the “Ghost chili”, AP writer Tim Sullivan, says eating a whole chili pepper is “something like gargling battery acid and glass shards.” I kind of know that feeling, five years back I had eaten a whole habanero, and that was fifteen minutes of extreme torture from within. At about twice the heat level of a habanero, I am sure a whole bhut jolokia can cause some serious damage!

PHOTO BY: Adam Wolf