Ingredients:

• 1 kg – Red dry chilli
• 1 tsp – oil
• For preserving: Small blocks of Asafoetida or salt

Method:

1. For a deep colour but a not too spicy taste, choose the long, shiny, thick, dried chillies.
2. Sun them till crisp.
3. Break off stalks and discard.
4. While pounding add a tsp of oil to a kg of chillies.
5. This will act as a preservative.
6. Once powdered, pack in a ziplock or seam-seal polythene bags. Or in sterile glass jars with airtight lids.
7. Put small blocks of asafoetida or spread some salt on top of the powder to preserve from getting spoilt for a longer time.

Recipe courtesy of Saroj Kering