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    Home » Cooking 101

    Indian Green Chili Peppers

    Published: May 31, 2020 · Modified: May 19, 2021 by Archana · This post may contain affiliate links · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases · 6 Comments

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    Hot, pungent, and peppery - the Indian Green Chili Peppers lend an intense heat to the food and are an essential addition in many finger-licking Indian dishes. Pickled, pound into chutneys, added to flavor food, or simply eaten raw, these green chilies are a fantastic addition to your panty. Read on to know all about one of my favorite cooking ingredients, that I always stock up in my refrigerator.

    Indian Green Chiles
    Jump to:
    • Types
    • Buy
    • Prep
    • Chili Paste
    • FAQ
    • Recipes

    Green chilies are used widely in Indian cooking, both as a key spicing ingredient as well as for tempering. The Indian chile has a unique flavor and it adds distinct hotness, which is a trademark of Indian cuisine.

    The closest substitutes to the Indian chili peppers are the jalapeño, Thai green chilli, and serrano peppers. While the flavors of the final dish will be slightly different, feel free to use these in your Indian cooking if you don’t have the Indian variety handy. 

    Types

    Growing up, I had no idea that green chilies came in so many varieties. As I took to cooking with a passion and began experimenting with different world cuisines, I got introduced to the many interesting types of this hot, pungent, and peppery spice. 

    In India alone, you will come across several varieties of green chili peppers. Kashmiri chilli, Guntur chili, Byadgi chili, Kanthari chili, Bhut Jolokia chili etc. are popularly used in Indian cooking. The spice levels in each of these vary greatly, with the Kashmiri green chilli being the least spicy and the Bhut Jolokia chilli scoring maximum points on the spice meter. 

    green chili paste in a silicone ice cube tray

    Buy

    Where can you buy Indian green chilis?

    Indian green chillies are easily available at any of the local Indian grocery stores. You will find these chillies in two varieties. The small dark green ones are spicier and the slightly longer light green ones are less spicy. You can pick either variety depending on how hot you love your dish to be. Personally, I always buy dark green ones. 

    Prep

    How to prep & store the green chilies?

    • Wash the chillies under running cold water and then dry them with paper towels
    • Pluck the stem off, this ensures they stay crisp for a longer duration. During this process, if you find any chillies that have brown spots, simply discard those. You don’t want one bad chili to spoil your good stock
    • Once you have removed the stems, store the chillies in the refrigerator in an airtight container. I wrap mine in a paper towel as it soaks away the moisture and keeps them fresh longer

    Chili Paste

    Want the Chilis to last even longer? Make Homemade green chili paste and freeze it.

    A great way to make sure you have fresh green chilis at hand every time you need them is to make a chilli paste and freeze it. Making a green chilli paste is really simple and it works great in most Indian dishes. 

    Wash, dry, and de-stem the chillies. Grind them in a blender with little or no water. You can also use a food processor for this.

    photos one through four showing how to make green chili paste

    Store them in silicone trays or freezer zip lock bags. Remember to make thin layers of the chilli paste so it's easy to break off smaller pieces when needed. 

    To use in a dish, simply break away a small portion of the frozen paste depending on your preferred spice level. Frozen chilli paste not only retains the fresh flavors but also does not change its color

    Green Chili paste in silicone tray

    IMPORTANT NOTE: Green chillies are hot and may leave a burning sensation on your fingers. Take care to wash your hands after handling chilis. While making a paste, use a spatula and avoid touching the paste directly. Take care not to tough your eyes while handling chilies.

    And while we are on this topic let me tell you about Mirchi Cha Thecha, a hot and piquant chutney!

    Mirchi cha thecha is nothing but fresh green chillies pounded coarsely in a mortar with some garlic, cumin and salt. This popular side dish is served up in many Maharatshrian meals and being a Marathi Mulgi, I have a great fondness for it. Mirchi cha thecha brightness up any dull meal and it is that one dish where green chillies are the main ingredient! Who would have thought?

    FAQ

    My hands burn when I cut green chillies. What can I do?

    The burning sensation after handling chillies comes from capsaicin. To get rid of the chili oil, rub some vegetable or olive oil on your hands. Then wash your hands with mild dish soap and you are all set. 

    Apart from Indian cooking, in which other cuisine can I use the Indian green chili peppers?

    These peppers are somewhat similar to the Jalapeño peppers, only a bit hotter. Green Chillies add a nice kick to your food and I have used them quite often and quite successfully in making salsa, guacamole, falafels, etc. Be careful to use lesser quantities if you are substituting.

    Recipes

    Here are some of my favorite recipes to use green chilies. You can either add them sliced, diced or paste. 1 teaspoon of paste is equivalent to 2 chillis or half a jalapeño.

    • Poha - Savory Indian Breakfast with flattened rice
    • Batata Bhaji - Spicy Potato Curry often served with fluffy puri's
    • Palak Paneer - Easy 15-minute Instant Pot spinach with cheese
    • Green tomato Chutney - A tangy, sweet, and spicy chutney made with raw tomatoes
    • Baingan Bharta - Spicy roasted eggplant curry with onions, chilies, and garlic
    • Spinach Dal - Easy yellow lentils with spinach
    • Dill Lentils - Garlicy lentils spiced with turmeric, curry leaves & chili
    • Palak Khichdi - Rice and lentils cooked with flavorful spinach sauce

    Did you enjoy this post? Would like to learn more about cooking basics and prep techniques? Check out these cooking 101 articles that cover topics such as how to prep ginger, garlic, how to store cilantro and how to make homemade spice blends as well as the best homemade ghee.

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    Green Chili Paste
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    Indian Green Chili Peppers

    How to Prep & Store
    Prep Time15 mins
    Total Time15 mins
    Author: Archana Mundhe

    Equipment

    • Blender
    • Silicone ice cube trays

    Ingredients

    • 1 LB Green Chilies

    Instructions

    • Wash the chillies under running cold water and then dry them with paper towelshe moisture and keeps them fresh longer
    • Pluck the stem off, this ensures they stay crisp for a longer duration. During this process, if you find any chillies that have brown spots, simply discard those.
    • Once you have removed the stems, store the chillies in the refrigerator in an airtight container lined with paper towels as it soaks away the moisture and keeps them fresh longer

    Want the Chilis to last even longer? Make Homemade green chili paste and freeze it. 

    • Wash, dry and de-stem the chillies. Grind them in a blender or food processor with little or no water.
    • Store them in silicone trays or freezer zip lock bags. Remember to make thin layers of the chili paste so it’s easy to break off smaller pieces when needed. 
    • To use in a dish, simply break away a small portion of the frozen paste depending on your preferred spice level. Frozen chili paste not only retains the fresh flavors but also does not change its color

    Video

    Tried this recipe?Share your photo and tag @ministry_of_curry or tag #ministryofcurry

    Author: Archana

    Hey there! I am a techie turned recipe developer, cooking instructor, and food blogger. I love food and enjoy developing easy and healthy recipes for busy lifestyles. I live in New Jersey with my husband and two sons.
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    1. Sue Gwilliam says

      September 13, 2020 at 10:50 pm

      Would love to use your recipes but there are far too many advertisements to negotiate through. Such a shame as from what little I can see your recipes look delicious and woud have been perfect for my needs.

      Reply
      • Archana says

        September 14, 2020 at 3:33 pm

        I am so sorry! I think its the initial newsletter pop up form that is also distracting. I am working on getting that fixed and also working on showing less ads. Please know that you can also use the jump to recipe button on top to directly go to the recipe card. Hope this helps.

        Reply
    2. Aishwarya says

      October 22, 2020 at 10:37 pm

      I do not get indian green chilli easily in US. What is the nearest substitute to it ? Jalapeno are like indian capsicum so cannot be a good replacement. I have tried it. Is Thai Green Chilli similar in texture and taste ?

      Reply
      • Archana says

        October 23, 2020 at 7:49 pm

        Thai green chili or Serrano chili

        Reply
    3. Malcolm Fyfe says

      October 26, 2020 at 1:47 am

      I am puzzled why one uses green chillies, as you describe, while some recipes also call for the addition of chiili powder

      Reply
      • Archana says

        October 28, 2020 at 11:36 am

        Green chilies add a different earthy, peppery taste and aromas. Also depending on the dish that's cooked like poha or batata bhaji that are mostly yellow, green chilies work out best without changing the color of the dish.

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Archana: a former software engineer, now a full-time blogger. I am a mother of two boys who share my love for food and cooking. Words I love to hear are, “Mom, what’s for dinner?” The same words I say to my mom every time we speak. I live in the greater New York City Area with my husband and sons.

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