The New Mexico is a very flavorful, mild heat chile. The elongated, tapered, and dried form of the Red Anaheim chile, the New Mexico Chile is hotter and more flavorful than the [plain old] Anaheim; it is also referred to sometimes as the California Chile or Chile Colorado.
When ripe, New Mexican peppers turn from a bright green to a rich red color with smooth skin. They then can be dried and ground into a fine chile powder that has a hint of sweetness without any bitterness. The New Mexico chile is mildly-to-moderately hot, at 8,000 - 12,000 Scoville units.
Intensively used in southwestern [US] cuisine, the New Mexico chile is a robust, mildly hot pepper with a complex, pungent earthy sweetness. See if you can note the rich, dried-fruit flavors.
New Mexico chiles are an essential ingredient in traditional Southwestern red chili sauces, and bring character and complexity to all sorts of Mexican dishes, including chili, tacos, stews, salsas, and chiles rellenos. The New Mexico Chile is excellent for use in fish or chicken marinades, Pad Thai, even dusted over popcorn or in chocolate truffles!