Difference between Red Chilli and Birds Eye Chilli

GLaDOS

Hi all, maybe not worth a thread by itself but felt I may as well ask.

Decided I'd attempt to make a chicken madras dish, and the recipe I'm following calls for 2-4 chopped red chillis. On my return from the shop I realised I'd actually bought Birds Eye chillis, which appear to be substantially stronger!

What quantity of birds eye chilli would you recommend to get a similar intensity? I've no problem with it being spicy and had planned to use 4 red chillis.

Or would I be better off just going back to the shop?

I'm an enthusiastic amateur when it comes to cooking so I apologise if anything should be obvious

Thanks

Chucken

I always thought Red Chillis and birds eye are the same thing?

Outkast_IRE

Honestly it varies from batch to batch...........
I eat birds ete chillis alot and to make a hot curry sometimes i need one birds eye ..... other times i need half a dozen. You will have to do a taste test im afraid.

If a recipe said red chillis to be it would be the long red cayanne style ones they seem to sell in supermarkets alot

Mellor

Chucken wrote: »

I always thought Red Chillis and birds eye are the same thing?

Bird's eye is a particular type of small red chilli.
"Red chilli" is a generic term that covers cayenne peppers, birds eye, tabasco etc.
I'd assume a recipe was refering to cayenne peppers, but I'd use birds eye if that all i had.

Mr. CooL ICE

If I were you, I'd go back and try to find ordinary red chillis, unless you like your curries to be extra hot.

Any time I have used bird's eye chillis, it doesn't matter how little I use, I need to gargle milk afterwards.

Mrs Fox

The heat from a single red bird's eye chilli is equivalent to about two cayenne peppers or regular chillies that you find in supermarket. The green bird's eye are milder.

GLaDOS

Ended up using one and a half peppers, and found it at the upper end of what I'd be comfortable with. Was nicely spicy but wouldn't want to go much more.

Outkast_IRE

its quite hard to judge how many at times, as there are serious variations in heat from batch to batch.

Where birds eye chillis are really nice is one diced very finely and added to the mince when making up a homemade burger

Its not as hot as you think as the cheese mixed in takes the edge off and you like a bit of mayo with the burger that helps too

Try it some time

GLaDOS

Might do, got a few left over so looking for an excuse to use them!

Planet X

Good Indian store down past the Jervis Centre on Mary Street for chillis. About 6 different varieties loose on the outside display.


People who like curry should try Delhi O"Delhi vegetarian Restaurant on Moore street. Superb food, very cheap and seemingly freshly cooked. Myself and my wife go in every month for a faceful. Alot of Indians eat there. Comforting.