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Chili Powder SeasoningChili powder seasoning can consist of powders strictly made from chilies or as chili powder blends when chili powder is mixed with herbs and spices in addition to chilies. Pure chili powder is made totally of different types of chilies. The powder was first invented to season the Texas dish chili con carne. The form of chili powder that is generally used in cooking contains more than just chilies and is thus a blend.
There are different types of chilies such as ancho, chipotle, habanero, jalapeno, and New Mexico, poblano, and serrano that are types of chilies that can range from mild to hot chilies, and there are red chili peppers and cayenne peppers of a different species that are also used to create chili powders and blends. These various chilies are also used to create mole powder and taco and fajita seasonings in addition to regular chili powders. Blends are not just used in chili con carne but are also used in Indian, Chinese and Thai cuisine. The commercial blends often contain heavy additions of salt, sugar or corn flour as a bulking agent as well as monosodium glutamate. By creating your own mixtures you can obtain a purer chili powder or chili powder blend without bulking agents. Starting with a basic Mexican chili powder, which is used to flavor chili carne, Mexican bean dishes and other Tex-Mex recipes that contain combinations of beef and beans, can lead to the creation of other blends. The recipe below is a basic chili powder recipe based on Mexican chili powder. Chili Powder Seasoning Blend Recipe 2 tablespoons chili powder (mild, medium, or hot) 1 tablespoon ground cumin 2 teaspoons sweet paprika 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon salt Blend thoroughly and store in an airtight container. This blend can be made in a larger amount for storage and is generally used to flavor Tex-Mex recipes and is often used to create taco seasoning.
For some great sections on herbs and spices some great references are: • The Spice and Herb Bible – Second Edition by Ian Hemphill with recipes by Kate Hemphill • Field Guide to Herbs & Spices by Aliza Green • Herbs & Spices – the cook’s reference by Jill Norman • The Contemporary Encyclopedia of Herbs & Spices – Seasonings For The Global Kitchen by Tony Hill • Cajun Clark’s Cookbooks
Specialty Seasoning Mixtures
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