Chilli is the
dried ripe fruit of the genus Capsicum. Capsicum annuum is an annual sub
–shrub, the flowers of which are borne singly and fruits usually pendent, which
provide red peppers, cayenne, paprika and chillies and sweet pepper (bell
pepper) a mild form with large inflated fruits.
Capsicum
frutescence is a perennial chilly with small sized pods which are highly pungent.
It is commonly known as ‘bird chilly’ and ‘Tabasco’.
Chilly
is reported to be a native of South America and is widely distributed in all
tropical and sub tropical countries including India. It was first introduced in
India by Portuguese towards the end of 15th Century. Now it is grown all over
the world except in colder parts.
Dry
chilly is extensively used as spice in curried dishes. It is also used as an
ingredient in curry powder and in seasonings. Bird chilly is used in making hot
sauces as pepper sauce and Tabsco sauce. Paprika, Bydagi chilly, Warangal
chapatta and similar high colour less pungent varieties are widely used for
colour extraction. This colour is highly popular among food and beverage
processors for its use as a colourant, since this being a ‘natural plant
colour’. As a medicine it is used as an counter irritant in Lumbago, Neuralgia,
and Rheumatic disorders. Capsicum has a tonic and carminative action. Taken
inordinately it may cause gastro-enteritis. The enzyme isolated from chilly is
used in the treatment of certain type of cancers. Oleoresin capsicum is used in
pain balms and vaporubs. Dehydrated green chilly is a good source of vitamin
‘c’
Spanish
: Pimenton French : Puvre de Guinee German : Paprika Arabic : Filfil Ahmar
Dutch : Spaanse Peper Italian : Peperone Portuguese : Pimento Russian :
Struchkovy pyeret Japanese : Togarashi Chinese : Hesiung Yali chiao British :
Chillies(Hot) Pepper(Sweet) Hindi : Lal mirch Bengali : Lanka, Lankamorich
Gujarati : Marcha Kannada : Mensina kai Malayalam : Mulaku Marathi : Mirchi
Oriya : Lanka Punjabi : Lalmirch Tamil : Milagay Telugu : Mirapa kaya Urdu :
Lalmirch
