Topic: Chillie powders

[adriandavidb]

Up 'till very recently I was using schartz chillie powder to make my 'madras-style' curry. However on reading the list of ingredients I was suprised to see that it contained cumin!

'Hang on just a mo' I thought, if i wanted extra cumin I'd add more myself,  This got me thinking, and I looked at the list of ingredients of another 'make' of chilliie in my cupboard, that one had oregano in it!

Looking for purer alternatives I happened upon shwartz cayenne.  Now normally I use a whole sachet of shwartz (normal) chillie, there are 2 satchets per box and each satchet is about 2 level tbs (2 X 15 ml.).  That amount makes a hotish, but by no means too hot curry.  Being cautious I decided to be less generous with the cayenne, and just use one third the quantity ( 2 X lev tps / 2 X 5 ml).  My wife found the result so hot she couldn't eat it.  I like hot curry so I was O.K  Although my enjoyment was slighty dulled by thye sight of my misses scowling at me from across the table, distractly regarding a piece of toast she was holding like she was considering shoving it somewhere the sun 'don't shine'!

Anyway, the point of this ramble is this:  the cayenne was A LOT hotter, but also seemed to introduce a lovely sweet flavour, much more 'BIRish' than my normal effort.  So I'll continue to use it, but just cut down on the quantity in future in the interest of avoiding divorce, and having to put the bog-roll in the fridge!

In any case I can't see the point of chillie that contains other things (cumin and oregano for instance).  I rather suspect the less hot chillie powders are either made from 'weaker' chillies of are diluted with paprika!

I have not tried the chillie in larger quantity bags from asian shops recently though, may give that I try next!

[Bobby Bhuna]

Wow, that's such a scam! Just think how much a bottle of Schwarz costs aswell! I pay 59p for a 200g bag of heera chili powder, and that's very hot indeed, far hotter than the Morrisons own brand variety.

I notice TRS do an extra hot chili but not being an out and out chili head, the normal stuff suffices for me.

I'm interested in the difference in taste. I might buy some Cayenne and give it a shot.

[Domi]

Most chilli powders are a mixture of things


http://www.tarladalal.com/glossarydisc.asp?id=566&typ=ingr

Hey BB, Heera sounds like cumin seeds right? Maybe you have cumin chilli powder eh?

[Chris303]

I grind dry chiles myself.

[Bobby Bhuna]

Hey BB, Heera sounds like cumin seeds right? Maybe you have cumin chilli powder eh?

S**t. It must be Jeera. Maybe...

[brum_57]

Most if not all of the supermarket powders are blends which is a rip off - I use the TRS extra hot (bird) chilli powder that Bobby mentioned and if you dont like it too firey just use less for what you pay for your tiny bottle of supermarket rubbish you can get a 100g bag of the real stuff from your local asian store (failing that order online)

Kev.

[Wish]

Hi all
Many years ago i bought a packet of not sure if it was curry powder or chili powder.Like a good lad when i got it home put it into a tin.Unknown to me it was worth its weight in gold.Any thing you added it to was instantly the best you have tasted.But going back to the Asian store for more,only to find none,all gone.So asked if they knew where it had come from but had no idea.told they only buy from two places from bradford.Tried them but got no help.This packet was green with a clear window,the powder was orange in color.above the window there was a drawing of a chili pepper,clove,pepper corn,cinnamon stick.Any one who finds this packet will be well rewarded.

[JerryM]

am now clutching an empty glass of water.

i tried my asda cayenne pepper (ingredients: cayenne) - tasted very nice - not hot - a bit of a woody/smokey flavour.

so i got my La Chinata smoked paprika out - always a pleasure to taste - it's similar to the cayenne but more woody/smokey.

i then tried my Natco chillie (ingredients: chilli - nothing else) - it's definitely 100% chilli powder

like Brum says best to buy from Asian shops or online.

[SnS]

Hi all
Many years ago i bought a packet of not sure if it was curry powder or chili powder.Like a good lad when i got it home put it into a tin.Unknown to me it was worth its weight in gold.Any thing you added it to was instantly the best you have tasted.But going back to the Asian store for more,only to find none,all gone.So asked if they knew where it had come from but had no idea.told they only buy from two places from bradford.Tried them but got no help.This packet was green with a clear window,the powder was orange in color.above the window there was a drawing of a chili pepper,clove,pepper corn,cinnamon stick.Any one who finds this packet will be well rewarded.

Sounds like Bassar mix.

SnS 

[joshallen2k]

This has me thinking. I've always used McCormick's curry powder (Canadian equivalent methinks to Schwartz). The Indian Grocery I use doesn't seem to have the same brands as the UK (Rajah, Natco...) and they seem to have 100 different masalas, but no "curry powder".

Wonder if I'm missing out on something...

BTW, the ingredients list on the jar of McCormicks is as follows: Fenugreek, Coriander, Cumin, Turmeric, Celery Seed, Ginger, Mace, Black Pepper, Dehydrated Garlic, Sulphites. There is a hot version which from what I can tell only adds chilli powder. I use the mild and prefer to add chilli according to the curry I'm making.

Does this stack up to any of your usuals? The colour is a dark yellow (almost a green tinge to it)

Josh