I thought I'd make it this evening. I've never cooked it from scratch before, always used one of those Schwarz or Colman's powders. Looking online at the various recipes, I was surprised how many included cumin (always assciated it with Asian cooking) and how few included cayenne pepper - which I assumed was essential. I used plenty of paprika too and a bit of cocoa powder which was in a fair few recipes and not something I would normally add to a main course.

I'm rambling a bit, I don't know if anyone has a special ingredient for a good chilli?

Cumin and corriander are essentials in mine.

Some sort of chilli but not restricted to cayenne. There are plenty of Mexican or Southern US varieties available.


Poblano & chipotle are a couple I can get dried in my local Tesco.

I'm not sure I can get those in my local Tesco, thought these herb and spice stores are everywhere now. I did add a small amount of coriander powder that I had left in the cupboard. I've always associated cumin and coriander with curries, so assumed they'd be a bit odd in a chilli. Interestingly Gordon ramsay also uses cinnamon.

Oh yes, ground cumin and ground coriander make things much better - plenty of each, and ideally freshly ground if you can manage it. You might also like to stir in some chopped fresh coriander right before serving.

My dad swears by lemon juice (I don't necessarily disagree); I always add some beer (you need to add some reducing time if you try that). I know it sounds weird but beer really adds a good depth without actually making the finished dish taste beery.

It's odd that the recipes you've seen tend not to use cayenne pepper. Are they stipulating chilli powder instead? That's basically cayenne pepper with a bit of garlic powder and other stuff added to it.

That reminds me: lots of fresh garlic. I tend to use about a bulb, but I accept that I'm a bit odd when it comes to garlic. I suggest that you at least toss in a few cloves of garlic.

I use a little chilli powder, and add a can of kidney beans in chilli sauce. All the supermarkets sell them, plus Aldi or Lidl. Cheaper than chips, and a lot more spicy

I never use mince in mine, always a slow cooked braising steak cubed. It absorbs the flavours so much better.

Absolutely, I also add garam masala and smoked paprika to mine.

If we are on Chilli I suggest drinking the semi-sparkling Wine for Spice with it.

http://wineforspice.com

The wines are very refreshing and an antidote to chilli-bite.

Cayenne pepper is just a pure form of chilli powder.

If you look at the ingredients of chilli powder from a supermarket normally it's a mixture of cayenne pepper, cumin, salt and maybe some other bits and pieces.

I think it works better with proper pure chilli powder or ( cayenne pepper ) and cumin mixed manually. I think cumin is the spice when mixed with the meat and tomato gives you that essential chilli taste.

apart from that I would cook the meat with fresh garlic, fresh chillies, good quality tinned chopped tomatoes finally chopped onions and also add some beef stock. Then cook as long as possible. Kidney beans near the end if you like them.

This will always taste better if kept overnight in the fridge and used the next day.

I put chilli powder, garlic ,cumin and a bit of smoky paprika in mine. A few squares of dark chocolate is supposed to work well (haven't tried it myself).

If you want to bulk it out then instead of using just kidney beans get a tin of mixed beans.

I thought chilli powder was just dried chillies that had been ground down. I'll check next time I'm in the supermarket.

Now I just need to find some more recipes to use the spices I've brought in.

I always add cumin, coriander, cayenne and some chilli flakes to mine. I love stirring in some fresh coriander at the end too.

I tend to make a veggie chilli these days so I use peppers, onion, chickpeas, butter beans and kidney beans!

I use whole cumin seeds which I add with the onions. I also use green or red chilies sliced and deseeded. I also add oregano or marjoram. I use ground cayenne which I blend with tomato paste. Also I add a teaspoon of sugar to sweeten the tinned tomatoes.

Yes it can be, most indian chilli powders are just dried and ground up chillies.

But for some reason the supermarkets mix other ingredients in. I guess most people use it to make chilli con carne so they add in cumin.

http://www.tesco.com/groceries/Produ.../?id=251994596

Its a bit confusing as Tesco brand chilli powder for example list chilli powder as one of the ingredients with cumin, garlic powder, salt and oregano. It should really be named hot chilli con carne seasoning.

Well if you read the ingredients of the ready mixes they all include cumin...in fact it's what gives chilli its characteristic smell and I used to dislike it.

That's what mine is.
I had several chilli plants fruit.
I dried the chillis and crush them when I need them.
When almost done I always transfer my chilli to the slow cooker and let it bubble on low for most of the day and even the next.
I add a squirt of runny honey, a good splash of Lea and Perrins (Special Edition) and a slug of port at the outset of the slow cooking.

Agreed that cumin and coriander are essential - I think squeezing a lime in shortly before its finished works well as well.

Smoked paprika works wonders! Fresh coriander at the end too.

This is a great chilli recipe.