Here's your guide on Kashmiri Chili Powder! You'll learn what it is, how to use whole Kashmiri chilis or chili powder, it's best substitutes, and where to buy it. Once you're equipped with the knowledge, you're ready to try our recipes using Kashmiri Chili Powder!
If you've seen Kashmiri Chili Powder in Indian recipes, you've probably wondered what it is and if you should bother adding it to your spice cabinet. Or better yet, how can you substitute Kashmiri chilis with another variety of chilis that's more widely available?
As someone that goes through 1-2 pounds of Kashmiri mirch a year, it's become a staple in my kitchen for good reason. These chilis are a complex citrusy, smoky flavor and lightly sweet while adding only a mild amount of heat to any dish. It also acts as a natural red dye for curries.
Indian food is stereotyped as being unbearably spicy, but these chilis are a game-changer for anyone looking to enjoy the cuisine.
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What is Kashmiri Chili Powder?
Kashmiri chili powder is a ground spice made from dried Kashmiri red chilis, also known as Kashmiri mirch. In an Indian kitchen, you'll hear it colloquially referred to as lal mirch, which translates to red chili. These chilis are a staple in Indian cuisine for their characteristically vibrant red color and mild to moderate spice level. It's an especially notable spice in many Kashmiri dishes such as Rogan Josh and Yakhni.
Due to its milder heat compared to other chili powders, it's used to achieve a bold red color and flavor of chili peppers in dishes without becoming excessively spicy, making it popular for many uses. You'll see Kashmiri chili powder often used in marinades, curries, and tadkas for its unique flavor and to add a pop of color.
Note: According to Burlap and Barrel and Diaspora Co, it's evident that heirloom Kashmiri chili peppers grown in Kashmir tend to be a lot spicier than what's mass produced as Kashmiri chili powder. You may want to use significantly less of the heirloom variety when cooking.
Kashmiri Chili Powder Compared to Other Common Chilis
Kashmiri chili powder is in the middle range of spice level when compared to paprika and cayenne, with paprika being the least spicy and cayenne being the spiciest.
You can use Kashmiri Chili Powder anywhere you'd use deggi mirch, hot paprika, cayenne, or other chili powders. It's ultimately a personal flavor preference. But if you're a chili pepper snob, then you'll love the unique flavor it can give many dishes.
Substitutions
You'll want to check the brand's information to identify how spicy your Kashmiri chili pepper is, some brands are spicier than others. Deggi mirch is the best substitute for Kashmiri chili pepper.
Here's how to substitute Kashmiri chili pepper with deggi mirch, paprika, and cayenne:
- Paprika - Paprika is a spice made from grinding dried fruits of Capsicum annuum, which includes chili peppers and bell peppers. It's typically a deep red color. There are many varieties of ground paprika that you can purchase - regular, sweet, smoked, and hot. Regular paprika is milder in comparison to Kashmiri chili powder, but the flavors are wildly different. I would recommend adding the same amount of paprika as you would the Kashmiri chili powder for the color, and then adding a ¼ teaspoon of a spicy chili powder (like cayenne) or one deseeded dried red chili along with it. Hot paprika will suffice at a 1:1 ratio.
- Deggi Mirch - Use a 1:1 ratio of deggi mirch to Kashmiri chili powder to add color and flavor without the heat. Deggi mirch is another spice blend that's a brilliant red color made of several varieties of Indian chili peppers, usually capsicums and Kashmiri chili peppers. It's mild to moderately hot, and slightly hotter than paprika.
- Cayenne - Cayenne peppers are significantly hotter than most varieties of Kashmiri chili peppers. To substitute, use half of the called for amount in cayenne and the other half would come from regular paprika for color.
Another popular variety of Indian red chilis is Guntur sannam which is smoky, acidic, and fiery.
Whole Kashmiri Chili Peppers
Fresh Kashmiri chili peppers is a variety of chili peppers grown in Kashmir, India. They are rich and brightly red, with a bit of sweetness to it.
The fresh peppers are sun-dried. At that point, they can be packaged for export or processed into chili powder. Whole dried chili peppers can be cooked directly into curries to slowly impart flavor, or they can be soaked in hot water for 10 minutes to rehydrate before being blended into a wet marinade or curry.
To transform dried chili peppers into powder:
- Prepare the chilis. Remove the stem of the chilis. Optionally, you can remove any seeds to prevent it from altering the texture of flavor of the powder
- Dry Roast. (Optional) Dry roast the chili peppers in a hot pan over medium to enhance their flavor for 2 minutes, while stirring often. You're looking for them to become just fragrant. If they're burned, the flavor will be bitter. This may not be totally necessary, because electric spice grinders produce enough heat to have much of the same effect.
- Grind. Cool the chili peppers. Transfer the peppers to a spice grinder or a high-powdered blender. You may need to break them into smaller pieces to fit. Grind into a fine powder.
- Sift and store. Sift the chili peppers through a fine mesh sieve to remove any large parts of the seeds. Transfer the powder to a sanitized airtight container or spice jar. Store the chili powder in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight to maintain maximum flavor and potency.
How to use Kashmiri Chili Powder
Kashmiri Chili Powder is my go-to chili powder for it's mild heat profile. I keep it in my masala dabba for quick and easy use when I'm cooking. A ¼ to ½ teaspoon can be added to any and every curry for a bit of heat.
- It's especially perfect sprinkled over chaat so that the heat doesn't overpower all the other flavors. It's well-balanced when paired with dahi-based chaats, like Dahi Vada.
- I also highly recommend it in tadkas for it's bold, brilliant color it'll add on top of dal or like on these Tadka Mashed Potatoes.
- Lastly, it's delicious in Indian meat marinades instead of using red food dye like on this Whole Oven-Roasted Tandoori Chicken.
Where to Buy it
You can purchase Kashmiri chili powder from several desi brands at an Indian grocer. For a spicy and sweet option, Burlap and Barrel and Diaspora Co have great options and the Kashmiri chilis are still grown in Kashmir. I especially love the mild heat and fruity floral flavor from Rani, at 12,000 - 15,000 SHU, and use it in all my recipes.
Whole chilis are typically cheaper and can be purchased online or at an Indian grocery.
Recipes using Kashmiri Chili Powder
You will love Kashmiri chili powder for all of your Indian recipes! It's the missing ingredients to curries and other dishes where you want all the flavor of chili peppers without overpowering it with heat.
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