Chillies and pods

Capsicum in every heat and colour, and the pods of cardamom and vanilla.

A pod: a chilli, curved, with its cap and stem. Dried, it is kept whole, flaked or ground.

Chillies are the fruit of Capsicum plants from the Americas. Fresh or dried, whole or ground, they bring heat, colour and fruity flavour to cooking on every continent.

What they are

Capsicum species were domesticated in the Americas thousands of years ago. After 1492 the plant spread across the world within a few generations. Heat comes from capsaicin, mostly in the white pith and seeds, and is measured on the Scoville scale. Paprika, cayenne, Kashmiri chilli, ancho and habanero are all chillies.

How they are used

Chillies are eaten fresh, dried, smoked, pickled, or made into pastes and sauces. Dried chillies are toasted, soaked and ground in Mexico, while flakes like Aleppo pepper and gochugaru go straight onto food. A small amount gives colour with little heat, and a large amount gives fire.

Buying and keeping

Dried chillies should be supple and glossy, not brittle and pale. Store them in a closed jar. Ground chilli fades in colour and should be used within months. Wash hands after handling hot chillies and avoid touching the eyes.

Chilli on EveryMasala

The spices written up so far, best known first.

🇧🇷 Brazil and 5 moreMalagueta peppermalagueta A small, fiery chili from Capsicum frutescens used across Portuguese-speaking regions.Chilli · Hot and fiery · Sharp and pungent

🇲🇽 Mexico and 1 moreChipotle Smoke-dried ripe jalapeño peppers used in Mexican and Tex-Mex cookingChilli · Hot and fiery · Smoky

🇳🇵 Nepal and 2 moreDalle Khursaniडल्ले खुर्सानी A round, fiery chilli from the Himalayas, known for its intense heat and vitamin content.Chilli · Hot and fiery

🇲🇽 Mexico and 5 moreJalapeño A medium-sized Capsicum annuum cultivar from Mexico known for its green pods and moderate heat.Chilli · Hot and fiery · Earthy and deep

🇺🇸 United StatesCarolina Reaper A gnarled red cultivar of Capsicum chinense bred in South Carolina for extreme heat.Chilli · Hot and fiery · Sweet and mellow

🇵🇹 Portugal and 5 morePiri piri A very hot African cultivar of Capsicum frutescens used for spicy sauces and marinadesChilli · Hot and fiery

🇲🇽 Mexico and 3 moreBird's eye chiliพริกขี้หนู A small, intensely hot cultivar of Capsicum annuum native to Mexico and widely grown in Southeast Asia.Chilli · Hot and fiery

🇸🇾 Syria and 1 moreAleppo pepperفلفل حلبي A moderately spicy, fruity flake from Syria and Turkey, named for the city of Aleppo.Chilli · Hot and fiery · Sweet and mellow

🇫🇷 France and 1 moreEspelette pepperpiment d'Espelette A mild Basque chili with sweet, fruity notes and protected origin status.Chilli · Sweet and mellow · Hot and fiery

🇨🇳 China and 2 moreCrushed red pepper Dried and crushed chilli peppers, often with seeds, used as a spicy condiment.Chilli · Hot and fiery · Earthy and deep

🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreFresno chile A medium-sized Capsicum annuum cultivar with a conical shape and bright red skin.Chilli · Hot and fiery · Sweet and mellow

🇧🇷 BrazilCapsicum flexuosum A tiny, mildly pungent wild chili native to southern Brazil.Chilli · Hot and fiery

🇲🇽 MexicoSerrano pepper A hot Mexican chili from mountain regions, used fresh in salsas and sauces.Chilli · Hot and fiery · Sharp and pungent 🇮🇳 IndiaNandurbar Mirchiनंदुरबार मिर्च A GI-tagged chilli cultivar from the Nandurbar district of Maharashtra, India.Chilli · Hot and fiery 🇮🇳 IndiaRamanathapuram Mundu chilli A round, mild red chilli from Tamil Nadu with a GI tag.Chilli · Hot and fiery · Earthy and deep

🇮🇳 IndiaByadagi chilliಬ್ಯಾಡಗಿ ಮೆಣಸಿನಕಾಯಿ A deep red, mild cultivar from Karnataka prized for its colour and oleoresin.Chilli · Hot and fiery · Sweet and mellow 🇨🇳 ChinaXiao Mi La Pepper小米辣 A wild Capsicum frutescens cultivar from southern China, prized for intense heat in spicy regional dishes.Chilli · Hot and fiery · Sharp and pungent

🇺🇸 United States and 2 moreBig Jim pepper A large, mild New Mexico chile cultivar developed in the United States for green roasting.Chilli · Sweet and mellow · Hot and fiery 🇫🇷 FranceRomenay pepperpiment de Romenay A compact, mild French chili cultivated in the historical province of Bresse.Chilli · Hot and fiery

🇮🇳 IndiaEdayur chilliഎടയൂർ മുളക് A local Kerala cultivar with a GI tag, used for sun-dried curd chillies.Chilli · Hot and fiery

🇯🇲 JamaicaPimiento A sweet, heart-shaped red chili pepper used for stuffing olives and making cheese spreads.Chilli · Sweet and mellow · Hot and fiery

🇲🇽 MexicoChile de árbol A small, fiery Mexican chili pepper known for its grassy heat and bright red dried pods.Chilli · Hot and fiery · Smoky

🇸🇷 SurinameMadame Jeanette A fruity, very hot chili cultivar from Suriname with a reddish-yellow skin.Chilli · Hot and fiery · Sweet and mellow

🇲🇽 Mexico and 5 moreCapsicum frutescens A small, wild chili species with erect berries, native to the Americas and widely grown in tropical regions.Chilli · Hot and fiery

🇵🇭 PhilippinesSiling labuyo The tiny, erect-fruited wild chili of the Philippines, known for intense heat.Chilli · Hot and fiery · Sharp and pungent

🇲🇽 Mexico and 5 moreCapsicum annuum A flowering plant producing berries of many colors and heat levels, from sweet bell peppers to fiery chilies.Fruit · Hot and fiery · Sweet and mellow