Kashmiri Chile Powder

Kashmiri Chile Powder, also called Kashmiri Mirch, is known for its profoundly alluring fragrance and vibrant red hue, which adds gorgeous color to the dishes it’s used in. This chile powder has a comforting sweetness touched with a bit of mineral resonance and a hint of smoke, that embraces the mouth before the slow burn begins. The rich, concentrated berry-and-spice flavor of the pepper comes through, but the heat lingers past the flavor. Our Kashmiri Chile Powder has a maximum heat of 25,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU), so it falls into the same heat range as a serrano pepper, though its flavor is much more rounded and less vegetal.

Before the introduction of chiles, Indian cuisine got its heat from long peppers and black peppercorns, which are indigenous to the southern coastal region of India. Portuguese colonizers in the 16th century were the first to bring chile peppers to India, and Portugal had gotten them from trade with Spain thanks to the Columbian Exchange. Spicy peppers were quickly adopted into Indian cuisine, and “peppers rule the kitchen” became a folkloric mantra that still holds true. Within 30 years from their introduction, peppers were being farmed regularly near Indian homesteads. Today, India ranks first in the world in production, consumption, and exportation of peppers.

Tips From Our Kitchen

This chile powder is standard use in classic Indian curries like rogan josh, and is a key ingredient in tandoori chicken. Kashmiri Chile Powder adds a spicy, unexpected twist to tomato sauces, particularly when used in tandem with also-unexpected star anise. It adds a burst of color and sweet, smoky spiciness to macaroni and cheese. Add to a garlic-lime marinade for fish or chicken, or mix with granulated honey and sea salt for a sweet and spicy pork rub. Toss cashews in Kashmiri Chile Powder and roast. Use it to add drama to anything that will absorb color, like rice. Add to vinegar for a quick pickle for onions or radishes.

Our Kashmiri chiles are grown in India.

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