King Chilli is an exotic crop that has been cultivated in Manipur and belongs to the species Capsicum Chinese Jacq. In 2007, it got placed in the Guinness Book of World Records to be the hottest chilli in the world. In Eastern India are utilized local people use it fresh but there are not many value-added products that are standardized. The value-added products with King Chilli can have economic viability and the processing technologies developed can be adapted by the farmers for commercialization. It is also consumed dried and a variety of spice-based products can be explored since it is having distinct flavors and aromas.

1. NAGA CHILLI SAUCE

Indian cuisine is all about its distinct flavour and aromatic spices. Red chilli powder or “Lal Mirch” is quite common in every Indian household and has been used for ages. Red chillies are dried and then crushed to a powdered form. Everyone can use this spice in “tadka”, in sauce, curries, or for garnishing purposes. Red chilli powder not only adds a spicy taste and colour to the dish but also has impeccable health benefits. “Lal Mirch” has the capability to accelerate the digestive process, build immunity, maintain blood pressure, has an anti-inflammatory effect, improve eye health and prevent night blindness. Red chillies are enriched with nutrients and include Vitamin C and Vitamin A.

Ingredients:

• Dried Red Chillies
• Naga Chilli Pulp - 1 kg
• Water - 200 gm
• Sugar - 150 gm
• Salt - 20 gm
• Onion small pieces - 100 gm
• Garlic - 8 pieces
• Cumin - 4 gm
• Cardamom – 6 units
• Kashmiri Chilli Powder - ½ teaspoon
• Tejpata - 1 gm
• Clove - (Remove head) - 30 units
• Pepper - 20 units
• Vinegar - 75 ml
• Sodium Benzoate - 3 gm

METHOD OF PROCESSING

• Step 1:The chilli should be washed in clean water, peeled and the stones removed. The stainless steel cutting machine or knives should be used to cut the chilli into uniform-sized pieces. Most chillies are cut into small strips. Chilli should be as fresh as possible and should not be over-ripe. Damaged, bruised or infected chilli should not be used.
• Step 2:The chilli must be cleaned, peeled and cut into small pieces.
• Step 3:The chilli is blanched for 15 minutes (1800 ml water for 1.5 kg chilli)
• Step 4:Allow the chilli to cool, drain it and grind it after blanching
• Step 5:For 1 kg of pulp, add 200 ml water, half the sugar (75 gm), and half the salt (10 gm).
• Step 6:When the mixture starts boiling, put the cloth in which the spices are tied. The spices tied in the cloth include small onion pieces, garlic, cumin, cardamom, chilli powder, tejpata, clove, and pepper.
• Step 6:When the pulp becomes half, remove the spices tied in a cloth.
• Step 7:Add remaining sugar and salt, then add vinegar and boil it for 2-3 minutes.
• Step 8:Allow it to cool and after cooling add 750 mg sodium benzoate and pack it.

2. NAGA CHILLI PICKLE

Commercially available pickles are of following types:
a) Brine pickle
The minimum prescribed salt for brine pickle is 8 to 12 per cent. Spices can be also added to improve the flavor of the pickle. Salt cured pieces are freshened and then it is preserved in brine and water.
b) Oil pickle
The minimum prescribed salt for oil pickle is 5 to 6 per cent. Here, the contents are kept for 4 to 8 days and mixing is done occasionally. A thick layer of oil is poured to the contents which creates an anaerobic condition.
c) Sweet pickle
The minimum prescribed salt for brine pickle is 5 to 8 per cent and sugar 40-60 per cent. The cured pieces, sugar and selective spices are added to the salt.

3. NAGA CHILLI OIL PICKLE

Ingredients:

• Naga Chilli - 200 gm
• Ginger - 10 gm
• Garlic – 5 gm
• Vinegar – 5 ml
• Turmeric Powder - 5 gm
• Asafetida powder - 0.25 gm
• Mustard - 1 gm
• Gingely oil - 20 ml
• Salt - As per requirement
• Potassium Meta Bisulphate (KMS) - 0.025 gm

METHOD OF PREPARATION

• Step 1: Chilli should be washed in clean water, peeled and the stones removed. Chillies should be as fresh as possible and slightly under-ripe. Damaged, bruised or infected chillies should not be used.
• Step 2: The chilli must be cleaned and cut into two pieces. Stainless steel cutting machine or knives should be used to cut the chilli.
• Step 3: The chilli is blanched for 15 minutes (1800 ml water for 1.5 kg chilli).
• Step 4: Allow the chilli to cool, drain it and cut the chillies into uniform pieces after blanching.
• Step 5: Grind ginger and garlic together with vinegar keep it apart.
• Step 6: Heat the oil and when it heats up, add mustard; add the ground ginger garlic paste.
• Step 7: Into this add all the dried ingredients one by one, Turmeric Powder and Asafoetida Powder.
• Step 8: Once it is cooked well, add chilli pieces, salt and remaining vinegar.
• Step 9: Allow the pickle to cool down.
• Step 10: Fill the pickle into clean dry sterilized jars.

4. NAGA CHILLI POWDER

METHODS EMPLOYED FOR DRYING CHILLIES

Solar Drying: Solar driers use the heat of the sun to dry the chillies hence the principles of solar driers are simple. For drying large quantities of chillies, a greenhouse solar drier which is made of glass is used. It is very expensive and can dry large quantities day and night throughout the year. The maximum temperature inside the drying box while drying will be around 56.7°C to 66.6°C. The ambient temperature will be around 42.1°C to 43.8° C

Oven Drying: In this method, the matured chillies harvested afterwards are washed thoroughly under water. The water droplets are wiped off and the chillies arranged on the baking tray in a lengthwise manner. Oven is then turned on under lower temperature of 100°C. The pods are turned every hour for keeping uniform drying. The temperature set for chilli drying is 80°C for 8 hours. After drying the chilli is stored in air tight container.

Process Flow Chart for Naga Chilli Powder

(Stephy Das, Consultant (Product Development), PMFME PMU, NIFTEM KUNDLI)