Chili powder facts for kids
Chili powder is a spice made from dried, ground-up chili peppers. Sometimes, other spices are added to it, making it a "chili powder blend." People use it to add a spicy kick and great flavor to their food.
In America, it's usually spelled "chili," but in places like the UK, it's often "chilli" with two "l"s. Chili powder is used in many different types of cooking. You can find it in American (especially Tex-Mex), Chinese, Indian, Bangladeshi, Korean, Mexican, Portuguese, and Thai dishes. A chili powder blend is the main flavor in a popular American dish called chili con carne.
Contents
What Kinds of Chili Powder Are There?
Chili powder can be named after the type of chili pepper it comes from. Some common chili peppers used to make the powder include Aleppo, ancho, cayenne, chipotle, chile de árbol, jalapeño, New Mexico, pasilla, and piri piri peppers.
Gochugaru: Korean Chili Powder
Gochugaru is a special type of chili powder used in Korean cuisine. It's traditionally made from sun-dried Korean red chili peppers called taeyang-cho. If you want a spicier version, it might use Cheongyang peppers.
Kashmiri Chili Powder: Mild and Bright
Kashmiri chili powder is a bright red powder used in Indian cuisine. It's known for its vibrant color but is actually quite mild in heat. It gets its name from the Kashmir region.
- Chili powder varieties
-
Ancho chili powder
-
Piri piri powder
-
Indian chili powder (from red chilis)
-
Gochugaru (Korean chili powder)
.jpg)
What Are Chili Powder Blends?
Chili powder blends are mostly made of chili peppers. They are mixed with other spices like cumin, onion, garlic powder, and sometimes salt. The chili peppers used are usually red ones. "Hot" blends often include cayenne pepper for extra heat. Because different recipes are used, the spiciness of chili powder can vary a lot.
The First Commercial Blends
The first companies to sell chili powder blends in the U.S. were started by D.C. Pendery and William Gebhardt. William Gebhardt owned Miller's Saloon in New Braunfels, Texas. Chili was a very popular dish in that town. However, fresh chili peppers were only available at certain times of the year.
Gebhardt brought some ancho peppers from Mexico. He ground them up using a small meat grinder. This is how he created the first commercial chili powder, which became available in 1894.
How Is Chili Used in Food?
Chili powder is very common in traditional Latin American, West Asian, and East European cooking. It is used in many dishes like soups, tacos, enchiladas, fajitas, curries, and meat dishes.
Chili can also be found in sauces and curry bases, such as chili con carne. Chili sauce can be used to marinate and season foods like meat before cooking.
See also
In Spanish: Chile en polvo para niños
