Xni-pec (pronounced shnee-pek) means 'dog's nose' in Mayan — named for the way it makes your nose run. This is Yucatán's table salsa: habanero, bitter orange, red onion, cilantro. It's not blended, it's chopped. It's very hot. The habanero's fruity, floral heat is completely different from the guajillo or jalapeño heat — it hits faster, higher, and fades differently. Use it sparingly the first time.
How it's made
Making Xni-Pec
This salsa is not cooked and not blended. It's a fresh chopped condiment — the Yucatecan equivalent of pico de gallo, but built on habanero and bitter orange instead of jalapeño and lime. The habanero is used raw here, which means its full heat and flavor are present. The citrus rounds it and the red onion adds sharpness.
- A word on habaneros before you start: they are 10–100x hotter than a jalapeño. The Scoville range is 100,000–350,000 units vs. 2,500–8,000 for jalapeño. Handle with care — wear gloves or wash hands thoroughly before touching your face. Do not touch your eyes.
- Finely mince 2 habaneros (seeds and all for full heat; remove seeds for less). The smaller the dice, the better — you want heat distributed, not concentrated in chunks.
- Finely dice ½ red onion. Finely chop a small handful of cilantro.
- Combine: habanero, red onion, cilantro.
- Add the juice of 3 limes and 1 orange (or ¼ cup bitter orange juice).
- Season with salt. Mix well.
- Let sit 10 minutes before serving. The citrus slightly tempers the raw onion.
- Taste with a very small amount first. Adjust heat by adding more or less habanero next time.
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