Deep red, wrinkled whole Kashmiri chillies are famed for their stunning colouring properties as much as their delicious flavour. The Kashmiri chilli adds a vibrant red colour when used to make curry pastes. More commonly used dried and as a powder, the Kashmiri mirch, as it’s known in Hindi (mirch = chilli), is an essential ingredient in the South Asian kitchen (Indian subcontinent).
 
Kashmiri chillies do not necessarily come from Kashmir, however they are a popular Indian chilli with a very high colour content, making the food they are used in strikingly red.
 
Although slightly different, Byadagi chillies are a reasonable substitute for Kashmiri and Mathania chillies called for in some Indian recipes.