Chillies are an important spice in every savoury dish. Indian cuisine has various heat-infusing spices. But despite that, a spicy dish is incomplete without a dash of red chilli powder. India is a major cultivator of red chillies and an exporter of wholesale chilli powder in the world, offering a variety of red chillies. One of them is Kashmiri red chillies.
Kashmiri red chillies are a popular type of chilli used to create adequate zing and the lustrous red colour but less spicy food. These chillies have a mild sweetness and subtle heat, making them ideal for curries, stews, and soups. If you don’t know what Kashmiri red chillies are, here’s your guide to learning about Kashmiri red chillies, their health benefits, and how to buy and use them in your food.
What are Kashmiri Red Chillies?
Kashmiri red chillies originated in the Kashmir region of India. While this chilli variety is native to Kashmir, now it is widely cultivated in other parts of the country. The peppers are long and thin with a bright red hue. The heat level of Kashmiri red chillies depends on the crop, but generally, they are considered one of the mildest pepper varieties, having a Scoville rating of just 2500-5000. These chilli peppers are bred for their bright red colour rather than the heat. The Kashmiri red chilli powder is a widely used spice in various Indian dishes.
How to use Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder?
The Kashmiri red chilli powder is often mixed with other varieties of chilli to balance out heat and spice. You can purchase whole Kashmiri red chillies and grind them home with other varieties to create authentic, unadulterated Kashmiri red chilli powder. Or, if you need bulk quantities, you can opt for a physical store or visit wholesale websites from where you order bulk spices online. You can also use whole red chillies in gravies and curries. For this, just remove the stem and seeds and soak the peppers for a few minutes in water before making a paste.
Health Benefits of Kashmiri Red Chillies
Kashmiri red chilli’s mild taste and brilliant colour have made it one of the popular spices in Indian cuisine. But it is not only the colour that Kashmiri chillies are famous for. They are packed with myriad nutritional values and offer various health benefits that add to our well-being. Here are some health benefits Kashmiri red chillies offer:
- It is rich in Vitamin C – an essential antioxidant that builds immunity. Moreover, vitamin C is also useful for skin and blood vessel health.
- Kashmiri red chillies are a good source of antioxidants for fighting free radicals. Free radicals from UV rays can harm our health and give us chronic diseases like cancer. Consuming chillies will offer antioxidants that protect our bodies from these free radicals.
- This chilli pepper is also a rich source of iron. It helps increase the number of red blood cells and the cell’s capacity to carry oxygen.
- Apart from iron, it also has many other minerals like copper, manganese, magnesium, potassium, etc. These minerals improve the cell’s metabolism rate, keep the heart and arteries healthy, and build bone health.
- Kashmiri red chillies are great for indigestion. They have an active compound called capsaicin which increases the secretion of digestive juices, improving the body’s ability to digest food easily. Moreover, it also aids in intestinal gas problems.
- Kashmiri red chillies are also packed with a B complex group of vitamins like niacin, riboflavin, and thiamin. The vitamin B complex group is essential for producing energy. It also aids the nervous system’s digestive system and improves memory and focuses by neutralising harmful homocysteine, a harmful substance for the brain.
- It also provides Vitamin A, which is great for hair, skin, and nail health.
- It is an amazing detoxifier that helps clear waste products from our bodies.
- It generates heat and benefits in the cold, calorie burn, and nasal congestion.
Things to Keep in Mind When Buying Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
Kashmiri red chillies are one of the important spices in Indian cuisine. If you want to purchase the powder of these chillies, you would want to keep some things in mind to make a great purchase.
- If you want to buy Kashmiri red chilli powder from a retail store, make sure the stock frequently gets sold out and restocked. Since ground powder can lose its potency very quickly, you don’t want to buy something that has lost its flavour and colour.
- Purchase only from reliable sources. Choosing an Indian speciality store would be a good idea.
- If you need a bulk amount and order bulk spices online, ensure you’re dealing with genuine spice exporters. Read reviews and ratings of retailers. Moreover, don’t rely on online reviews, as they can also be fake. If you can contact their current customers, you should ask them directly.
That said, if you wanna add zing and colour to your food but keep the heat mild, Kashmiri red chilli powder is your option. In this article, we have covered what Kashmiri red chilli powder is, how you can use it, how it benefits your health and some buying tips
