Kashmiri chilli vs regular Indian chilli
UK recipes that ask for a brick-red gravy usually want Kashmiri chilli. A generic ‘hot chilli powder’ will brown the sauce and sting more.
Culinary differences only. Traditional use is not scientific evidence of a medical effect.
Kashmiri chilli
कश्मीरी मिर्च · Capsicum annuum
Mild heat, vivid red colour — widely used for colour in gravies.
Full guide →Dried red chilli (generic Indian)
सूखी लाल मिर्च · Capsicum annuum / Capsicum frutescens
Generic dried red chilli when a named cultivar is not specified.
Full guide →Flavour and kitchen job
Kashmiri lots are bred and traded for colour with milder heat. Generic dried red chilli (often Guntur-type in Indian packs) is hotter and less pigmented.
When to use which
- Use Kashmiri chilli for tandoori colour, butter chicken, rogan josh, and tikka marinades.
- Use regular dried red chilli when you want heat in tadka, pickle, or Andhra-style fry.
Many UK cooks keep both: Kashmiri for colour, a hotter chilli for bite. We do not print Scoville numbers we have not measured.
Recipes
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