Omega Chilli Whole Long: slender dried red chillies for tadka, chilli oil and stir-fries. Single 1 kg pack.
Whole long red chillies are dried slender chillies with a sharp, lasting heat. Fry them whole in oil to infuse tadka for dals, stir-fries such as kung pao chicken, and South Indian sambar and rasam. Crush them for chilli oil and flakes, or simmer them in curries and stews and remove before serving. Wear gloves when handling broken chillies and avoid touching your eyes. Chilli peppers belong to the Capsicum genus of the nightshade family, and capsaicin gives them their pungency. Dried whole chillies keep for many months in a sealed container; discard any that show dark spots or mustiness. In Sichuan cooking, whole dried chillies are fried with peppercorns until fragrant and dark red, flavouring the oil for stir-fried chicken and vegetables. Snip them with scissors to release more heat, or leave them whole for a gentler infusion.
