PureRoots green chilli powder is whole green chilli, dried and milled. No colour added, no salt, no rice flour — which is worth saying, because green chilli powder is one of the most commonly adulterated things in an Indian kitchen cupboard.
It is also the rarest of the ten. Red chilli powder is everywhere; green chilli powder is not, because green chilli is genuinely difficult to dry without ruining it. Most producers do not try.
Machine-dried, not sun-dried
Green chilli in the sun goes brown within a day. The chlorophyll breaks down, the fresh top note evaporates, and what is left is a dull khaki powder that tastes of heat and nothing else — which is why the few brands that sell it usually add synthetic green colour.
Drying in a dark chamber at low heat holds both the olive-green and the sharp, grassy note that distinguishes green chilli from red. Nothing is added to fake either.
How to use green chilli powder
- Over curd rice and khichdi. A pinch, straight on top. Fresh heat with no cooking needed.
- In chutneys and tempering. Where you want green chilli character rather than red chilli colour.
- In dry rubs for fish. Green chilli, garlic powder and salt is a complete rub on its own.
- In place of a slit chilli. Anywhere a recipe says to add one, a pinch does the same job more evenly.
Taste and texture
Bright, sharp heat that arrives fast and clears, rather than the slow smoky burn of red chilli. Hotter by weight than fresh chilli, because the water is gone and the capsaicin is not. Use a pinch and taste before adding more.
Ingredients and storage
Ingredients: 100% dried green chilli.
Storage: Cool, dark, airtight. Light will slowly take the green out even in a sealed jar, so keep it in the cupboard rather than on the counter.
Best before: 12 months from packing.
FAQs
Is the green colour natural?
Yes, and it is olive rather than bright — a vivid emerald green powder is almost always coloured.
How hot is it compared to red chilli powder?
Comparable in heat, different in character. Green is sharper and more immediate; red is deeper and smokier.
Will the colour fade?
Slowly, with light. Flavour and heat outlast the colour, so a slightly duller pouch is still perfectly good.


