When it comes to Indian food, we always think about the spicy flavor that adds an extra zing to taste buds with every bite. Indian cuisine is greatly influenced by chili powder, the hot flavor of it enhances the taste of any boring dish. The element that gives chilies their heat and intensity is called capsaicin. It’s mainly found in the seeds of the chilies.
Chilis were brought to India in the 16th century by the Portuguese from South America through their trading colony of Goa. And now, India is the largest producer, consumer, and exporter of chilies. Chilies are not only used in Indian meals, but it is also used in Ayurveda for centuries. There is hardly any Indian dish, which is served without using chili powder. And, because of it, Chili powder is considered as one of the most basic spices in India, which can be found in every Indian household.
Let’s check out the most popular red chilies found and produced in India.
1) Bhavnagri:
This special variety of chili comes from Bhavnagar, Gujarat. It has mild to moderate spicy taste. Bhavnagri chilies are mostly used for Bharwan Mirchi (stuffed chili) and Mirchi Pakode.
2) Bhut Jolokia:
Bhut Jolokia is known as "The Ghost Pepper" and is certified as "The World's Hottest Chili" in the Guinness Book in 2007. It is mostly cultivated in the Northeast states of India like Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Nagaland, and Manipur. This chili can be grown indoors if one wants to be brave enough to choose this one. In north-eastern states, it is used in both dried and fresh form as a portion of food & spice.
3) Byadagi:
Byadagi chilies are very famous for their color and are grown in Karnataka. These chiles are long, wrinkled, and deep red in color. It's not very hot but imparts a dark color & strong aroma, and it is very similar to pepper. it is much used in Goa, Karnataka, Maharashtra and other states on the southwest coast of India.
4) Dhani:
Dhani Chilies are grown in North-eastern states like Manipur & Mizoram. Even though they are tiny, they are packed with the punch of spicy flavors & bright red color. Dhani is also known as "Bird’s Eye Chillies" and is used mainly for making chutneys and pickles.
5) Guntur Chilies:
It is one of the most popular chilies of South India. It comes from the Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh. Guntur Sannam & other red chili powder from Guntur are renowned globally and are exported to the Middle East and Latin America. These are one of the hottest chilies in the country and reflects the Andhra cuisine.
6) Jwala Chili:
This chili is grown in almost every state in India, but it can especially grow in several parts of Gujarat, like Kheda & Mehsana. This specific chili is easily available in the market throughout the year. It has a very pungent flavor and is also known as finger hot pepper. Initially, the chillies are green in color, but as they mature, they turn red.
7) Kanthari:
Kanthari chili is an ivory white in color, which is grown in Kerala and Tamil Nadu in the far south of India. It is a Bird’s Eye variety of chili. It’s a highly pungent variety of chilies and so, it’s not significant for cooking.
8) Kashmiri Chilies:
As the name suggests, these chilies are grown in Kashmir. It is known more for its color than its flavoring. This chili is ground into a fine powder and is used not only in Kashmiri dishes but in many dishes across the country and the world. Kashmiri Mirchi not only adds beautiful red color to the dish as well as enhance the dish’s taste. Kashmiri Mirch powder is very famous all around the world.
9) Mundu Chili:
Mundu chili is a fat round chili produced in lush regions of Ramnad in Tamil Nadu. This chili is the preferred choice of South Indians to add spiciness and mouth-watering flavor to chutneys, sambar, and tadka.
10) Naga Chilies:
There are several types of chilies found in India, while some are fiercely hot and can get your eyes watery, while some are medium spicy and just give a little kick of heat, and few are just mild enough for their slight taste and color instilling properties. There are different colors of chili powder found in India i.e. White Mirchi, Black Mirchi and Lal Mirchi. Visit Vasant Masala's online masala store to buy 100% authentic & fresh chili powder. We offer the best Kumthi Kashmiri Chili Powder in Gujarat.