Chilli
Chilli spice is actually a mixture of dried chillies’ peppers, cumin, garlic and oregano. The peppers used may be very or mild. The mixture is carefully balanced to produce the desired taste and balance between heat and flavor.
Chilli powder has it’s origins in Indian cuisine, where it is used to make curry and other dishes. Today, it is not only used in Indian cuisine, but also Mexican and Southwestern dishes.
There are many fine versions for sale commercially. However, chilli lovers take pride in making their own chilli spice. Other ingredients can be added including cinnamon, cloves, coriander, mace, nutmeg, turmeric, and black pepper.
In India, chilli powder recipes have been handed down to family members for generations. However, the first commercial chilli powder is contributed to two Americans, William Gebhardt and D.C. Pendry.
D.C. Pendry ran a grocery supply company in Ft. Worth, Texas. In 1890, he began manufacturing and marketing his own special blend of chilli powder. He supplied area restaurants with free recipes as a way to introduce people to the then unfamiliar, mixture of spices. William Gebhardt ran a café in New Braunfels, Texas. He served his own blend of Chilli powder in his café. In 1894 he started selling his Chilli powder under the brand name, “Gebhardt’s Eagle Brand Chilli Powder”.
A good recipe to try at home:
1 tablespoon of cayenne peeper
1 tablespoon of paprika
2 tablespoons of ground cumin
1 tablespoon of oregano
2 tablespoons of garlic powder
Experiment by adding smaller amounts of other ingredients such as cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, etc.
Yields about ½ cup
You can also experiment with using dried Chillies to make a chilli powder. Cut up the Chillies and then place them in a heated skilled (no oil added). Heat the Chillies for just a few moments to release the oils. Put the heated Chillies in a blender to ground them up into a powder.
