Byadagi chilli facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Byadgi chilli |
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| Species | Capsicum annuum |
| Origin | Karnataka, India |
| Heat |  Very hot |
| Scoville scale | 50,000 – 100,000 SHU |
The Byadgi chilli (Kannada: ಬ್ಯಾಡಗಿ ಮೆಣಸಿನಕಾಯಿ) is a very popular type of chilli. It is mostly grown in the Indian state of Karnataka. This chilli gets its name from the town of Byadgi, which is in the Haveri district of Karnataka. You might sometimes see it spelled as "Bedgi" in shops in India.
Byadgi chillies are known for their deep red colour. They are not as spicy as some other chillies. People use them a lot in cooking, especially in South India. In February 2011, the Byadgi chilli received a special status called a Geographical Indication (GI). This means it's officially recognized as coming from a specific place.
There are two main kinds of Byadgi chillies: dabbi and kaddi. The Byadgi dabbi chilli is small and round. It's very popular because of its great colour, smell, and taste. It has more seeds but is less spicy than the kaddi type. This dabbi chilli is perfect for making spice mixes and for getting a special red oil called oleoresin. Many big food companies like to use this type in their products. This oil is also used in things like nail polish and lipsticks.
The kaddi type of Byadgi chilli is thin, long, and has fewer seeds. It looks a bit twisted.
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What Makes Byadgi Chillies Special?
Byadgi chilli plants start to grow flowers about 40 days after they are planted. Most of their flowers bloom between 60 and 80 days. The chillies themselves are picked from January to May. About 21,000 kilograms of Byadgi chillies are grown each year.
The quality of chillies is often judged by how much red colour they have. This colour is measured using something called ASTA colour units. Byadgi chillies have a high ASTA colour value of 156.9. A higher ASTA value means the chilli has better colour and usually costs more. Byadgi chillies have very little capsaicin. Capsaicin is the chemical that makes chillies spicy. This is why Byadgi chillies are not very hot compared to other types.
How Are Byadgi Chillies Used?
In Cooking
Byadgi chilli is a key ingredient in many spicy dishes from South India. These include popular foods like Bisi bele bath, sambar, and chutneys. It's also used a lot in Udupi cuisine. Chefs also add it to meat dishes because it gives the meat a beautiful bright red colour.
Around the Byadgi area, there are about 25 businesses that grind these chillies into powder. They then sell this powder to companies that make masala (spice mixes), like MTR Food Products.
For Oleoresin Oil
In the past, Byadgi chillies were mainly grown for cooking. But now, they are also grown to get a red oil called oleoresin from them. This oleoresin is used to make things like nail polish and lipsticks.
To get this oil, the chillies need to be kept cool, at about 4 to 6 degrees Celsius. This helps keep their colour and purity. Storing them in cold places also helps get 30–40% more oleoresin from them. About 50 litres of oleoresin can be taken from one tonne of Byadgi chillies.
Companies near Byadgi are now focused on extracting this oleoresin. This oil is then sent to Kerala, where it is made even purer. After that, it is sent to other countries like the US, Japan, and countries in Europe.
The Chilli Market
Byadgi chillies are mostly sold at the Byadgi chilli market. Each year, sales at this market are worth about 3 billion Indian Rupees (which is around $75 million US dollars). This market brings in traders from all over Karnataka and from nearby Andhra Pradesh. They come because the market offers good prices, quick payments, and fair measurements for the chillies.
Recently, more affordable and spicier chilli types have entered the market. This has caused the price of Byadgi chillies to go down. Because of this, farmers who grow Byadgi chillies might find it harder to earn enough money from their crops.
