What is Kashmiri Chilli Powder? Everything You Need to Know
Kashmiri chilli powder is a mild ground chilli made from Kashmiri Mirch peppers. It measures between 1,000 and 2,000 Scoville units, which puts it at the mild end of the scale. Most people use it for the deep red colour it gives dishes, not for heat. It has a slightly sweet, earthy flavour and is used in a wide range of Indian recipes.
What is Kashmiri chilli powder?
Kashmiri chilli powder is made from dried Kashmiri Mirch peppers, which are grown in the Kashmir region of northern India. The peppers are a deep red colour and have a thin skin, which gives the finished powder its bright red colour.
In India, it's known simply as Kashmiri mirch. The word "mirch" just means chilli.
It's one of the most commonly used spices in Indian cooking, especially in dishes where you want a rich red colour without adding too much heat. Butter chicken, tandoori chicken, and many curries get their colour from Kashmiri chilli powder rather than from hotter red chillies.
What does Kashmiri chilli powder taste like?
Kashmiri chilli powder has a mild heat with a slightly sweet, earthy flavour. It's not smoky like paprika, and it's nowhere near as hot as cayenne or regular red chilli powder.
Here's how it compares on the Scoville scale:
| Type of chilli | Scoville Heat Units (SHU) |
|---|---|
| Bell pepper | 0 |
| Paprika | 500 – 1,000 |
| Kashmiri chilli | 1,000 – 2,000 |
| Jalapeño | 2,500 – 8,000 |
| Cayenne pepper | 30,000 – 50,000 |
So if you're cooking for people who don't like spicy food, Kashmiri chilli powder is a safe choice. You can use it generously without making a dish too hot.
Why do Indian cooks use Kashmiri chilli powder?
The main reason is colour. When you add Kashmiri chilli powder to a dish, it turns the sauce or marinade a deep, vibrant red. This is especially important in dishes like:
- Butter chicken: the rich red sauce gets much of its colour from Kashmiri chilli
- Tandoori chicken: the red colour in the marinade comes from Kashmiri chilli powder, not food colouring
- Chicken tikka masala: uses Kashmiri chilli for both colour and a gentle background heat
The second reason is flavour. Kashmiri chilli adds a mild warmth and slight sweetness that other chillies don't have.
How to use Kashmiri chilli powder in cooking
How much to use
For most dishes that serve 4 people, use:
- 1 to 2 teaspoons for curries and sauces
- 1 to 2 teaspoons in a marinade for chicken or meat
- 1/2 teaspoon added to a tadka (tempered spice oil) for dal or rice dishes
Because it's mild, you can use it more generously than a hot chilli powder. The amount you add depends on how red and flavourful you want the dish to be, not on managing heat.
When to add it
At the start of cooking: Add it with your other ground spices after frying the onions. This lets the powder cook in the oil for 30 to 60 seconds, which brings out the colour and flavour.
In marinades: Mix it with yoghurt, ginger, garlic, and other spices to coat chicken or meat before grilling or roasting. It colours the surface as the meat cooks.
In a tadka: Add it to hot oil along with cumin seeds and mustard seeds at the start of a dal or rice dish.
Dishes that use Kashmiri chilli powder
What can I use instead of Kashmiri chilli powder?
If you don't have Kashmiri chilli powder, here are the best substitutes:
Paprika (best option for colour and mild flavour): Use the same amount as the recipe calls for. Standard paprika gives you a similar colour and mild flavour. Smoked paprika will add a smokiness that Kashmiri chilli doesn't have, so use plain paprika if you want a closer match.
Paprika + a small amount of cayenne: If you want a little more heat, mix 1 teaspoon of paprika with a pinch of cayenne. This gets you closer to the colour and mild warmth of Kashmiri chilli.
Deggi mirch: Deggi mirch is another Indian chilli powder that's slightly spicier and darker in colour than Kashmiri chilli. It works well as a substitute in most Indian recipes. Use a little less than the recipe calls for and taste as you go.
Regular red chilli powder: This works in a pinch but it's significantly hotter than Kashmiri chilli. Use about half the amount the recipe calls for and adjust to taste. The colour will be less vibrant.
None of these will give you the exact same flavour, but paprika is the easiest substitute to find in an Australian supermarket and gives the most similar result.
Is Kashmiri chilli powder hot?
No, not really. At 1,000 to 2,000 Scoville units, it's one of the mildest chilli powders you can use. Most people who don't like spicy food can handle dishes made with Kashmiri chilli powder without any trouble.
If you want more heat in a dish, you'd typically add a separate hot chilli powder alongside it, keeping the Kashmiri chilli for colour and flavour.
Kashmiri chilli powder vs regular red chilli powder
These are two very different spices and are not interchangeable in the same quantities.
| Kashmiri chilli powder | Red chilli powder | |
|---|---|---|
| Heat | Mild (1,000 – 2,000 SHU) | Hot (30,000 – 50,000 SHU) |
| Colour | Deep, vibrant red | Bright to dark red |
| Flavour | Slightly sweet, earthy | Sharp, pungent |
| Main use | Colour + mild warmth | Heat |
In most Indian recipes, both are used together. Kashmiri chilli gives the colour and base flavour, and a smaller amount of red chilli powder is added separately if you want heat.
Ready to try it? Buy Kashmiri chilli powder from our online store, we deliver Australia-wide.
About the Author
Written by the team at True Indian Spices, Brisbane's trusted place to buy authentic Indian spices and traditional spice mixes. We love bringing genuine Indian flavours to Australian kitchens and sharing the stories behind each spice. We're a family-owned business dedicated to quality since 2022.
