Chilli SC May 2025

With less heat than your average chilli, you can safely take a good whiff of the ancho chilli. The complexity of its aroma is tantalising - sweet yet smoky, with notes of caramel and molasses. Add to chilli con carne or meat dishes such as spaghetti bolognese where a balance of sweetness and heat is required. This ground chilli is ready to use straight from the jar, ideal for quickly seasoning chilli con carne, rubs and marinades without any prep.

Heat Level: 3/10

With a staggering amount of heat, birdseye chilli is often used in condiments where heat, rather than flavour, is the main attraction. In ground form, this chilli disperses instantly and evenly through pastes, marinades and sauces without any prep.

Heat Level: 10/10

With delicious aromas of chocolate and cherry, these brownish-black, mild to medium chillies are traditionally used in Mexican moles, as well as other sauces and stews.

Heat Level: 3/10

One of the hottest chillies on the market, the habanero is not for the faint-hearted! Add it sparingly to hot sauces, stews and curries. The delicious citrus-like flavour and floral aroma are quickly overpowered by its heat. This ground chilli is ready to use straight from the jar, ideal for quickly seasoning hot sauces, marinades and extreme spice blends without any prep.

Heat Level: 10/10

With a staggering amount of heat, birdseye chilli is often used in condiments where heat, rather than flavour, is the main attraction. A very small and highly pungent chilli, it can be used whole, crushed or ground. These whole chillies can be used whole for a milder infused heat, or toasted and ground for maximum pungency.

Heat Level: 10/10

Affectionately named 'little raisin' due to its resemblance to both the colour and flavour of raisins, the pasilla chilli is one of the main ingredients in Mexican mole. With chocolate overtones and a delicious fruitiness, this chilli is a must try. These whole dried pods can be rehydrated whole for a rounder mole sauce, or can be toasted and ground fresh for a more vibrant powder.

Heat Level: 4/10

This chilli's deep red flesh has a green-tea flavour with berry overtones. Used in salsa for tamales, the guajillo chilli is also great in pastes, butter and meat rubs - try it with chicken. This ground chilli is ready to use straight from the jar, ideal for quick rubs, marinades and pastes.

Heat Level: 4/10

One of the hottest chillies on the market, the habanero is not for the faint-hearted! Add it sparingly to hot sauces, stews and curries. The delicious citrus-like flavour and floral aroma are quickly overpowered by its heat. These whole dried pods can be rehydrated and used whole or toasted and ground fresh for a more vibrant, aromatic powder.

Heat Level: 10/10

Also known as Chile Mosquito, this small yet hot Mexican varietal is a domesticated relative of the Tepin Chilli. We use this chilli in our English Pickling Spice, but it is also good for giving heat and flavour to vinegars, salsas and sauces. With a smoky, nutty and citrus-like taste, its neat, rounded shape is also pleasing to the eye.

Heat Level: 9/10

Affectionately named 'little raisin' due to its resemblance to both the colour and flavour of raisins, the pasilla chilli is one of the main ingredients in Mexican mole. With chocolate overtones and a delicious fruitiness, this chilli is a must try. In its ground form, it is ready to use straight from the jar, ideal for quick moles, braises and marinades.

Heat Level: 4/10

Cut dried chillies and whole spices straight over the pan with this chilli cutter from AdHoc. The hand-blown borosilicate glass body holds the contents without imparting any flavour, and sits in a turned acacia wood base on the bench or the table.

The stainless steel cutter uses AdHoc's patented PreciseCut® mechanism, which cuts rather than grinds, so the pieces stay even and the aroma is released as you go.

Works with dried chilli's and spices.

Measurements: 5cm x 22cm

Materials: Borosilicate glass, stainless steel, acacia wood

A compact version of the AdHoc cutter, sized to go in a bag, a picnic basket or a carry-on. Stainless steel and acrylic, slim enough to keep beside the stove when it is not travelling.

The same patented PreciseCut® mechanism does the work, slicing dried chillies, fennel or coriander reliably and releasing their full aroma over whatever you are cooking.

Measurements: 3.8cm x 7.5cm

Materials: Stainless steel, acrylic