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CHILLIES
Chillies are related to the capsicum plant. They range from mild and sweet varieties to fiery hot that make the
palate tingle and the eyes water. They are available in assorted shapes, sizes, colours and shapes. The colours
range from green, red and orange to purple, brown and black or even pale yellow or creamy white. Usually
smaller the chilli the hotter it is, however unripe chillies are less fiery than ripe ones. The heat of the chillies is
caused by the presence of a volatile oil called capsaicin, which can burn the skin and eyes. This is present in
the whole of the chilli but is very concentrated in the seeds and pith that surrounds the seeds. Chillies are
used in all types of savoury foods, from soups, sauces, fish, meat and poultry dishes, to chutneys, pickles and
dips as well as for garnishes. The different types of chillies are:

Anaheim – Also known as California chillies. These chillies can be either red or green. The red Anaheim
is sweeter than the green. The flavour can be improved by roasting. These chillies can be stuffed and
cooked whole, or used sliced for any recipe where moderate amount of spiciness is required.

Ethiopian – It is a long thin chilli, which is pale red when young and becomes redder as it grows. It is
used very sparingly in sauces, curries and rice dishes.

Jalapeno – This is the most commonly used chilli. They are either green or when ripe yellow or red, all
having thick plump flesh, very fat and juicy. These chillies when dried and smoked are known as
chipotles. The taste of these chillies vary according to their colour, green chillies have a distinctive
vegetable flavour whereas the ripe chillies are slightly sweeter. These chillies are ideal for salsas, soups,
casseroles, sauces, dips, stuffing or pickles.
Habanero – These chillies vary from green and yellow to red and reddish-purple. These extremely fiery,
lantern-shaped chillies have a wonderful fruity flavour and a surprisingly delicate aroma. They are ideal in
salsas, marinades, chutneys and bottled sauces. These chillies are used in Mexican and Caribbean dishes
where intense spiciness is required.
Ancho – These are small, pepper-shaped chillies that can be green or red. They are mild but have a
pleasant sweet flavour. They are used in Thai or Indian curries or mildly spiced salsas and sauces.

Poblano – These chillies are small and are available red or green in colour. They are thick fleshed with a
medium to hot heat. The green poblano is always cooked prior to eating. Roasting green and red poblano
gives a full earthy flavour. These chillies are grown in central Mexico and California. These chillies can be
served whole roasted or broiled. They are also used for sauces, stuffing, stews and tamales.
Serrano – These chillies are long and slender, are red or green. The red Serrano is slightly sweeter than
its green counterpart. These chillies are fiery hot in taste. Serrano are the classic Mexican green chillies
and are an important ingredient in guacamole. These chillies are grown in Mexico and the south-west of
America. These chillies are ideal for stir-fries and salsas.

Scotch Bonnet – These chillies are pale yellow, green, orange or red with an extremely hot fruity yet
smoky flavour. These chillies are confused with habaneros, which they resemble very closely. These
chillies are the hottest chillies of all. These chillies should be used with great caution. It is advisable to
de-seed them and remove the pith where most of the capsaicin resides before use. These chillies are ideal
for jerk sauces, condiment sauces and Caribbean curries.
Bird’s Eye – These are small long thin red chillies with bright glossy skins. They are also known as piquin
in some places. These chillies are thin-fleshed with many seeds and are fiery hot. These chillies are
specially used in Mexican dishes. They are grown in Thailand, Asia and California. These chillies are ideal
for stir-fries and all Asian dishes.

Yellow Wax – These are small, pepper-shaped chillies, wide at the top and with a tapering end. These
chillies can be pale yellow to green. These chillies can vary from mild to hot. They really do look waxy,
rather like candles. It is not necessary to peel these chillies. These chillies are often used raw in salads.
These chillies are also used in curries or Thai dishes.
Cherry Hot Chillies – These chillies are pungent and have thick walls. These chillies look like large
chillies. They have a sweetish flavour and make very good pickles. Their skins can be tough so they are
best peeled before use.
Tabasco – These chillies are thin-fleshed with a strong biting heat. They are bright orange or red and
used mainly for making the famous Tabasco sauce. These chillies are grown in Central and South
America.
Cayenne– These chillies are bright red with a thin body tapering to a point. They are used in sauces and
soups. But these chillies are extensively used in powdered form as seasoning. These chillies have a
distinctive flavour and can also be used in cookies and pastries as well as curries and other dishes where
spiciness is required.

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Chipotle – These chillies are often available in cans or jars. They are very hot and normally used with
their skins and membranes intact. These chillies are often used dried and are dull tan to coffee brown in
colour. They are grown in South America and Texas.

Sindhur chillies – The pods of these chillies are long and stout with broad base. They are thick-skinned
chillies. They are light green in colour and turn to attractive red colour on ripening.

Ellachipur Sannam – Grown in Amaravati district of Maharashtra, these chillies are reddish in colour
and are very hot. The harvesting season for these chillies is from September to December. These chillies
are available in Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad and Nagpur.

Guntur Sannam – Grown in Guntur, Warangal, Khammam districts of Andhra Pradesh, these chillies are
thick-skinned and red in colour. They are very hot to taste. The harvesting season for these chillies is
from December to May.

Kashmir Chilli – Grown in Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and also in subtropical regions of
North India during winter seasons. The chillies are long and fleshy. They are deep red in colour. They are
mostly used in North Indian cuisines. The harvesting season for these chillies is from November to
February.

Byadagi (kaddi) – These chillies are grown in Dharwar, Karnataka. They are red in colour with less
pungency. The flowering in Byadagi chilli commences 40 days after transplanting with a peak flower
production at 60 to 80 days after transplanting. The harvesting season for these chillies is from January
to May.

Hindpur – Grown in Hindpur in Andhra Pradesh. These chillies are red in colour. They are very hot to
taste. Their harvesting season is from December to March.

Kanthari-White – These chillies are grown in Kerala and some parts of Tamil Nadu. They are short and
ivory white in colour with high pungency. They are available in the markets throughout the year.
Madras Pari – These chillies are grown in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh. They are pure red in colour
and very hot to taste. The harvesting period for these chillies is from March to May. The annual
production of these chillies is 2000 tonnes only in Madras.

Tomato Chilli (Warangal Chappatta) – These chillies are grown in Warangal, Khammam, and East &
West Godavari Districts of Andhra Pradesh. They are deep red in colour and are less pungent. The
harvesting period for these chillies is from December to March.

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