Let's get into some history. Capsaicin was first extracted in 1816 by Christian Fridrich. Further work by John Clough Thresh led to its naming in 1876, but it wasn´t until 1898 that Karl Micko isolated the compound in pure crystalline form. A century later, in 1997, David Julius discovered and cloned the cellular receptor for capsaicin, and brought a new level of understanding on how capsaicin works. We´ll get more into this science in the second part of this blog.

Homemade chili sauce will last 2-3 weeks in the refrigerator in an airtight container. You can also freeze it for up to 6 months.

When Christopher Columbus landed in the Bahamas in 1492, he was the first European to have an encounter with any sort of chile pepper plant. He brought the ancestor of all paprika back with him to Europe and specifically to his patrons, the Spanish monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella. The king and queen did not care for their fiery heat and sent them to a monastery to be studied. These monks sent them further along across Spain and Portugal. From there, chile peppers made their way across Europe. Some peppers stayed spicy, like those in Calabria, but other European cultures experimented with their breeding and created the sweet and flavorful varieties of peppers that give us paprika today. 

Paprika can be made from several different varietals of the chile pepper family Capsicum annuum, though the different peppers all tend to be of the relatively long, tapered kind with thinner flesh. Fat, thick-fleshed sweet peppers, like a standard Bell pepper that you’ll find in your average grocery store, often don’t dry well enough to make a ground product and are prone to mold. They are valued for their bright red color as much as--or even more than--their flavor. The American Spice Trade Association, or ASTA, came up with a scale to measure paprika's color. The ASTA score goes from 50-180; 85 is a standard-grade color value. As the numbers go up, the color of the paprika is more saturated and vibrant.

Another factor that contributes to the success of Yidu's dried chili exporters is the region's strong infrastructure and logistics capabilities. Yidu is well-connected to major transportation hubs, making it easy for exporters to ship their products to markets both within China and overseas. This efficient transportation network helps ensure that Yidu's dried chili peppers reach their destination in a timely manner, maintaining their freshness and quality.

I would highly recommend using fresh Thai red chillies (the smaller variety) if you can find them. They deliver that flaming red color and leave behind that spicy tingle on the tongue, usually associated with Asian sweet chilli sauce. Thai red chillies are spicy though, so be careful.

Get some high-grade cayenne powder here.

Recipes and Usage