Good chili powder, that is mild

Question

I am looking for a mild red Chili-pepper with all the flavor of a spicy red-chili, but without the heat of one.

My Aunt likes spicy food as well, but it doesn't agree with her. Often I make mild versions of the spicy dishes I make, as a way of showing gratitude for helping me out. I love my Aunt so much, and I want to give her access to spicy dishes without so much spiciness, but despite my efforts, the mild dishes just don't taste as good as the spicy versions I make.

From what I have seen on labels, and read on the internet, red chili powders & red chili flakes are often produced using various different breeds of cayenne peppers, or at least where I am at in the USA.

Does anyone know if there is mild chili-pepper that is capable of recreating the flavors come from cooking with regular spicy red-chilies (or cayenne peppers)?

Answer 1

If you have access to any Asian/Indian food stores, perhaps have a look to see if you can find Kashmiri chilli powder. It's full-flavoured, very red, and milder than many. It's very popular in Indian cuisine. Watch any Indian recipe video on youtube where they appear to use insane amounts of red chilli powder, and it's very likely to be this variety. I can buy it easily here in the UK, because we have quite a large Indian community.

Another possibility would be to cut your usual chilli powder/cayenne with some paprika. I often do this when I want a milder kick but retain that full flavour without having to buy anything that's too specialist.