Chilli powder (lal mirch)
Lal mirch, mirchi ka powder, morich gura: whatever you call it at home, supermarket paprika or cayenne rarely tastes the same. We carry the real thing at several heat levels. Standard… 8 Products
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Chilli powder (lal mirch)
Lal mirch, mirchi ka powder, morich gura: whatever you call it at home, supermarket paprika or cayenne rarely tastes the same. We carry the real thing at several heat levels. Standard Chilli Powder and Pran Chilli Powder cover everyday cooking, Chilli Powder Extra Hot is for those who like it fierce, and Kashmiri Chilli Powder gives a deep red colour with only gentle heat. MDH Deggi Mirch sits somewhere in between and is a favourite for tandoori dishes and butter chicken.
Alongside the powders you'll find TRS Chilli Crushed for karahi, pizza and pickles, plus whole dried chillies: long red TRS pods and small, punchy desi chillies for tempering and bhorta.
Chilli powder forms the base of nearly every curry together with haldi and jeera. For fresh heat, head to our fresh herbs and green chillies.
Balancing heat and colour
- Colour without fire: for tandoori dishes or rogan josh, mix two parts Kashmiri chilli powder with one part regular. The sauce turns a rich red but stays easy to eat.
- Go slowly: with extra-hot powder, start with ¼ tsp per portion and taste before adding more.
- Don't scorch it: rather than tipping chilli powder into smoking oil, add it with a splash of water or with the tomatoes so it doesn't turn black and bitter.
- Whole dried chillies: fried briefly in oil, they give a smoky heat to dal or aloo bhorta.
Plenty of pickles rely on chilli too: explore our achar and pickles or the whole spices and masala range.
Frequently asked questions
What is Kashmiri chilli powder?
It's ground from a mild, bright red chilli variety. It colours curries, marinades and tandoori dishes a vivid red, yet is far less hot than standard chilli powder. Handy when children or guests who don't like heat are at the table.
Can I use paprika instead of chilli powder?
Sweet paprika adds colour but very little heat, and its flavour is sweeter. It's a passable stand-in for Kashmiri chilli at a push, but for proper South Asian heat you'll want Indian or Pakistani chilli powder.
What is Deggi Mirch?
Deggi Mirch is an MDH chilli blend designed for bright colour and medium heat. In North India it's popular for tandoori, butter chicken, dal makhani and rajma, and you can use it much like Kashmiri chilli.
How much chilli powder goes into a curry?
For a medium-hot curry with 500 g of meat or vegetables, about 1 tsp of regular chilli powder is right. With extra-hot powder, start with half that; with Kashmiri chilli, you can go up to 2 tsp.