The Pantry / Green chilli
Green chilli
hari mirch · kancha lanka
The heat that arrived by sea and never left.
What it is
Green chillies are the unripe fruit of the chilli pepper, used fresh for a clean, sharp heat — slit and dropped whole into a dish, or chopped for more fire. A precise, honest note: chillies are not native to the subcontinent at all; they arrived from the Americas and were absorbed so completely they now feel indigenous.
Where it comes from
Chillies reached the region with Portuguese trade in the sixteenth century and transformed its cooking within generations. Countless local varieties now exist, from mild finger chillies to fierce small ones.
What it's called
Green chilli · hari mirch (Hindi) · kancha lanka (Bengali).
In the kitchen
Slit whole and simmered for gentle heat and aroma, chopped for more, or blended raw into chutneys. Slit-not-chopped is the move when you want fragrance without full fire. Deseeding tempers the heat.
What we know about the claims
Chillies carry vitamin C and the compound capsaicin, studied for various effects; eaten to taste, they are a flavour and a heat, not a treatment. The only caution is the obvious one — heat tolerance is personal.
Choosing and buying
Fresh green chillies are in every shop (UK and US). Choose firm, glossy ones; heat varies, so taste a sliver if unsure.