Only bright red chili peppers can be dried and ground into powder; green peppers have too much moisture.
Pack some punch with freshly powdered peppers instead of opening a jar of mellowed chili powder. Chili powder is made by grinding dried chili peppers, and over time, the powder loses its potency. Grinding dried chili peppers as close to the time you need the chili powder will preserve the spiciness of the peppers. Use your own freshly grown, ripened chili peppers and create a custom chili powder blend from your garden.
Instructions
1. Thoroughly wash and dry the chili peppers.
2. Thread a needle with thick thread and pass it through the stems of several chili peppers, but allow for at least 1-inch of space on all sides of each pepper. Alternatively, arrange the on top of a wire screen.
3. Hang the string with the peppers in a warm, dry and well-ventilated place. Or, if using the screen method, store the peppers on the screen in a warm, dry and well-ventilated place.
4. Speed the drying process by directing a large fan toward the chili peppers to improve the air flow through the area.
5. Dry the peppers for several weeks or until the chilies shrivel and become brittle.
6. Cut the stems off the dried chili peppers. Turn upside down and shake out the seeds from the seed cavity. Cut the connecting membranes to remove the seeds, if needed.
7. Grind the dried chili peppers to a fine consistency just before using in a spice grinder or coffee grinder. Store leftover chili powder in an air-tight container in a cool, dark place. Use the leftover chili powder as soon as possible, but discard it when it loses its aroma.
Tags: chili peppers, chili powder, dried chili, dried chili peppers, leftover chili, leftover chili powder, warm well-ventilated
