Chili flakes | How to make chili flakes

Chili flakes yes you can make red chili flakes at home easily with just 1 available ingredient that is red chilies. Chili flakes add so much flavor and heat to your dish especially for pizza, pasta etc. This can be stored and used for many months.

How to make chili flakes at home – yes you heard it right! You can make chili flakes at home easily. I always have them stored so it is available always at home. I ran out of it last week which I wanted desperately for my homemade pizza so thought this time I will click pictures to post it here and here I am with this post.

Jump to:

• About Chili flakes
• Video
• Ingredients
• How to make chili flakes
• Expert Tips
• FAQS
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About Chili flakes

I make a small batch with just 20-25 red chilies which will last me atleast 3 months. You can make a bigger batch too. I use this homemade chili flakes for many dishes. It is no less than store bought chili flakes, infact it is more flavourful and fresh!

Making chili flakes at home is very easy so cross down it from your grocery list. Roasting red chilies brings out the flavour so do not skip this step. Preparing chili flakes fresh at home has so much flavor without any added preservatives. There are 2 methods in which you can make:

• Stove top : Just roast red chilies in a tawa until crisp, cool down then transfer to mixer, pulse it it to get homemade red chili flakes. I most probably use this method.
• Oven : Preheat oven at 200 deg C for 10 mins. Spread the red chilies in the baking tray and bake it for 3-5 mins or until crisp. Turn over in between. Cool down completely then pulse it in mixer to get red chili flakes.

Video

Ingredients

Red chilies : Select fresh flat skinned red chilies. The regular long variety red chilies works best for this recipe but make sure its medium sized or big, the smaller ones tend to get burnt easily. Remove the stem before roasting. Dry roast them either in tawa or bake in oven until crisp. The heat(spice level) of this purely depends on the quality and variety of red chilies you choose.

Perfect chili flakes

Always cool down completely before pulsing else the moisture generated due to heat while roasting may cause it to get pastey while pulsing . Also if you pulse not so crispy chili flakes then you will not get perfect flakes.

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How to make chili flakes

1.First pluck the stem from red chilies. Choose medium sized or big variety chilies, the smaller ones get burnt easily. Choose fresh red chilies to get bright red and spicy chili flakes.

2.Dry roast red chilies till it turns crisp. When you try to break it, it should break and not bend that is the correct stage so till then keep roasting in low flame. Also cool down and then try to break and see only then it will break easily.

3.Roast in low medium flame until crisp. Do not let the color change. Brown spots here and there is ok.

4.Switch off and cool down completely.

5.Now break each roasted red chili to check. If its bending then roast for few more mins. If it breaks easily then transfer to mixer jar.

6.See it breaks easily. Just break each chili into 2 and add to mixer jar.

7.Repeat to finish.

8.Pulse it 3-4 times, don’t over do. I had very less quantity so pulse at one go, but if you have more then do it in batches to get perfect chili flakes just as in shops.

9.Transfer to a plate and spread it to cool down.

10.Cool down completely then transfer to airtight container, which is dry and clean.

Serve with pizza, pasta, bread etc.

Expert Tips

• Don’t use the grind option in mixer, use the pulse option that too just for 3-4 times then stop check and then proceed.If you keep on pulsing then the red chilies will get powdered.
• Breaking the red chilies helps in getting coarse flakes.
• Make sure your mixer jar is dry and clean.
• Roasting is very important so keep roasting till its crisp and tends to break.Only after cooling down a but, the red chilies will become breakable, so don’t underestimate and over roast it.
• You can store this for 6months in refrigerator and use it whenever needed.
• Serving and Storage
• You can serve it as garnish for breads, soups and pizza or add it while cooking pasta, garlic bread, focaccia etc.
• It keeps well in room temperature for about a month. Store it fridge for about 6 months in a clean dry jar and use it whenever needed.

FAQS

1.What is Chili flakes?

Chili flakes is a spice made by roasting red chilies until crisp and pulsing it. Chili flakes is not usually grinded instead crushed / pulsed in mixer to get those perfect flakes.

2.How to make chili flakes at home?

There are 2 methods in which you can make:

• Stove top : Just roast red chilies in a tawa until crisp, cool down then transfer to mixer, pulse it it to get homemade red chili flakes.
• Oven : Preheat oven at 200 deg C for 10 mins. Spread the red chilies in the baking tray and bake it for 3-5 mins or until crisp. Turn over in between. Cool down completely then pulse it in mixer to get chili flakes.

3.What is chili flakes used for?

Chili flakes is used many dishes as garnish or even as a condiment /spice. It s used in pasta, soup, pizza, bread, buns etc.

4.What if my chilies gets powdered?

It means you have over done with your pulsing, so no other way so start over again.

5.Can I use kashmiri red chilies?

Yes you can but I would recommend to use a combination of long variety red chilies with kashmiri chilies to get it a bit spicy.

If you have any more questions about this Chili Flakes Recipe do mail me at sharmispassions@gmail.com. In addition, follow me on Instagram, Facebook,  Pinterest, Youtube and Twitter .

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