Today I bought a bag of dried chillies, but they weren't the usual type I buy because they had ran out. Instead I bought a bag of dried birds eye chillies instead and I have just made a batch of chilli powder from half of the bag (I never buy chilli powder, I always make it myself). Does anyone know whether or not this variety of chilli is an annuum or a frutescens? I must admit, they don't taste or smell like the annuum varieties I am used to using.

Sid.

just on rarity grounds alone, I would have thought that they were annuum, as there are very few frutescens types grown in India. The dhani variety is grown in NE India, and they are those that are usually known as birdseye, but most imported ones are from Africa, I think. Another frutescens is Kanthari white, very rare in India, I had to bring some fresh ones beck with me from a trip to Kanataka, brought over the border from Kerala especially for me! They are ivory when unripe, turning orange/red when ripe. They are a yard crop.

Thanks, Lapis. The reason why I asked is because they have an unusual aroma to them. They smell slightly smoky. They look like these ones but the brand is different.

older chillies can take on odd flavours, but check that there is no mold growing. If it is, it is very bad news.

I can't see any mould growing on them. Very bad news in what way? Aside from the waste of money...

chillies, (along with a few other things, like peanuts.....the reason I no longer eat them!!) can been affected by aflatoxins (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aflatoxin) and are extremely dangerous. The chillies should have an export certificate stating the aflatoxin levels, although this won't be on the label.

That's why I don't buy chilli powder, either, but make my own, from carefully checked (visually) chillies, and then one knows the heat, too.

I have analysed aflatoxins (well, B1, B2, G1 and G2, so named after the colour at which they fluoresce, blue or green) and was extremely worried when I opened a jar of one of these, and the powder inside started to cling to my latex triple layer gloves (yes, I was properly suited and booted), seems the powders are electrostatically charged, scary!

I had a feeling you were going to mention this. I did a quick search online after I'd read what you posted earlier and I came across a website that mentioned aflatoxins on dried chillies and a few other ingredients (I think black pepper and turmeric were two of them).

After a careful analysis of the chillies in question I threw them away because some of them were infected with a bluish mold. When I squeezed one of them a small burst of mold came out. Some looked okay, but I wasn't going to take the chance so I threw them away...along with the chilli powder I made yesterday.

I always make my own chilli powder. I have found that the red birds eye chillies from the supermarket are great for this. I slice them up, place them on a pyrex baking tray and leave them in the oven for around one hour on 120C. They always powder up really nicely in the pestle and mortar. I usually mix it with a teaspoon of paprika. I have found that even if the chillies are dried they don't powder up that well unless they have been in the oven for about an hour (depending on the variety). If they haven't been in the oven they just become chilli flakes LOL. I grow some varieties just for making powder.

Thanks, Lapis.

OK, Sid, glad you were able to sort it, I think more people need to know about this.

Can you tell the shop you bought them from? I bought some black peppercorns from a Chinese supermarket in Cardiff, and they turned out to be really very moldy. I went back and told them, and suggested they check their stock. Their reply was that I was given my money back, and that was that. I never went back. I should have told Environmental Health.

I can try, but to be honest with you I don't think they would understand a word I was saying. The people who work in the shop speak very little, to no English. From time to time there is a girl there who speaks fluently in English, so the next time I see her I will mention it to her.

When you tell her, mention quietly that you love their shop and want to let her know how dangerous it can be, and how bad it would be for them if anything happened to someone and if environmental Health got involved. LOL

People generally do not take criticism well in my experience.

LOL. Yeah that's the thing isn't it? People don't take criticism very well. That being said, they are only the stockists of the spices and the bag of birds eye chillies had so many chillies in it that you wouldn't see the mold by looking through the bag, you need to look more closely. I usual dried chillies I buy are the long red ones, and I can say that I have seen small amounts of mold growth on those before, but I never paid any attention to it.

I could always write them a kind letter from the aflatoxin army. I think they would understand that more than me just going in and talking to them about mold on the dried chillies. They'd think I was a crack pot or something.