Chilli Powder

Chilli powder is dried red chillies ground fine, known as lal mirch in Hindi, milagai thool in Tamil and miris kudu in Sinhala. It is the main source of heat in most curries, from a Punjabi chicken curry to a Sri Lankan devilled prawn dish, and it goes into marinades, pickles, chutneys and the dusting on fried snacks.

Heat varies a great deal from one grind to the next. Standard chilli powder suits everyday curries, extra hot is for cooks who like a proper kick, and Gondal chilli, a Gujarati variety, sits between the two with a fruity edge. Roasted chilli powder is darker and smokier, made for Sri Lankan black curries and devilled dishes. When you want redness more than fire, reach for paprika or Kashmiri chilli powder, and for texture, crushed chillies.

Add chilli powder to oil that is hot but not smoking, and stir for only a few seconds before the tomatoes or a splash of water go in, since it burns quickly and turns bitter. Keep the pack sealed and dry, as damp makes it cake and lose colour. It sits with the other ground spices, next to turmeric, the partner it joins in almost every masala.