Dried red chilli

Dried red chilli is the dehydrated mature fruit of flowering plants in the genus Capsicum, predominantly Capsicum annuum, belonging to the Solanaceae family.

In Indian kitchens it is often kept whole with the stalk intact, sun dried or commercially dehydrated into crisp, shelf stable pods. You’ll also hear it called साबुत लाल मिर्च (Sabut lal mirch).

Capsaicin in the placenta and seeds gives an intensely pungent burn, and some dried varieties are fiery in curries and chutneys. Toasted in hot oil or ghee, the chillies mellow and turn warm, nutty, and smoky as their aromatic resins move into the fat.

For tadka, add whole chillies to sizzling oil or ghee so the fat carries their warmth and aroma; finish dal, rasam, or sambar with it.

Grind dried pods into base pastes for Goan vindaloo and Mangalorean curries, or simmer them with sauces during cooking to distribute heat evenly.

For vibrant red color with milder heat, use Kashmiri dried chillies instead of more pungent ones.

Chillies originated in Central and South America. Portuguese merchants brought them to India during the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries.

Dense in capsaicinoids, carotenoid pigments including capsanthin and capsorubin, provitamin A carotenoids, and dietary minerals.