Red chilli powder or Kashmiri chilli powder, which one should you buy

It is quite confusing for many at the time of purchase on which type of chilli powder to buy and why. Whether it is green chilli powder, red chilli powder, yellow chilli powder, Kashmiri chilli powder or Degi chilli powder.

Each state or region of India has its own favourite cuisine and each variety of chilli powder mentioned above find a specific use. As the name suggests green chilli powder and yellow chilli powder are made from green chilli’s and yellow chilli’s respectively. Green chilli is used mainly in some non veg preparations that need better penetration to the meat being cooked. Yellow chilli is a variant grown in the state of Punjab and some regions of North India and is mainly used in dishes that does not require a bright colour.

But the most used variants of chilli broadly are the red variants commonly known as red chilli powder or lal mirch or Kashmiri chilli powder or Kashmiri mirch. Apart from these, there are some other variants of red chilli’s popular across India like the Byadagi, Dhani, Salem Gundu, etc.

But the most popular and widely consumed ones are Red chilli powder also known as Guntur chilli or Kashmiri chilli powder.

Kashmiri as the name suggests is mainly cultivated across the state of Kashmir. The speciality of this chilli powder is the redness it can impart to dishes while cooking. The hotness of this chilli is comparatively low. But dishes made with Kashmiri chilli look bright red and more attractive.

Guntur chilli or red chilli works as an opposite of this. They impart more of hotness to the dishes and less of colour. Hot dishes are more favourite in the Southern states of India. Guntur is a region in the Southern state of Andra Pradesh and Guntur Chiili gets its name from the popularity of the chilli’s from this region.

Blended Chilli Flour

Now comes the mixed or blended variants of chilli powder, which are man made by blending two variants of chilli powders for ideal hotness and colour. The most popular variant in this category is Degi chilli powder. It is a mix of chilli’s that impart mild hotness and an orangish red colour to dishes. This type of chilli powder is the main preference for making tandoori or tikka dishes where an orangish colour provides aesthetics to these dishes.

But which one should I buy for regular use at my home. The popular ones available close to your home will be Kashmiri or Guntur Chilli powders. Many people blend it by their own to get the ideal hotness and colour they prefer for their dishes. If you are looking for a pre blended one that can give the perfect characteristics for you cooking, have not seen many such brands in the retail outlets.

But there are several ones available online. The below one was good and preferred by many in my friendship circle.

You can buy it here by clicking this link.

To read more on chilli powder and recipes click here.