Easy way to make Chili Powder at home (Complex in Flavor)

• Recipe: Chili Powder
• Writer: Lizzie Green
• Content-Type: Food Blog

I vowed never to purchase store-bought chili powder after making this dish for the first time. It is complex in flavor and surprisingly simple to create.

I will never again purchase chili powder from a store, it’s official. This handmade chili powder is considerably more flavorful, rich, and nuanced than store-bought versions, and it’s also very simple to create.

On the burner, dry chiles and spices are toasted; after that, they are ground in a spice grinder.

In less than ten minutes, you’ll have wonderful homemade chili powder. Even though Kite String Cantina has already received a few mentions, I feel compelled to do it again.

They are a bar in our area that serves delicious sauces and taquitos, and I was inspired to create this chili powder recipe by their distinctive chili seasoning (also known as “Kite Spice”). Although I’ve long understood that ground spices lose their power with time.

It wasn’t until I started using Kite Spice in my cooking that I truly appreciated how flavorful and distinctive a freshly ground spice blend could be. I promise that once you make your own chili powder, store-bought will never taste the same.

Chili powder ingredients

Chilies are this recipe’s key component, of course! Guajillo (seen above) and ancho dried chiles are the two varieties of dried chiles I used to make it. Both kinds of chilies are relatively moderate; the ancho chili powder is only marginally hotter than the guajillo powder.

If you’ve never used guajillo or ancho chiles before, seek them in the Mexican or spice area of your local grocery store or in a store that sells spices or groceries from Mexico. They are also simple to locate online.

I add seven more spices to complete the recipe:

• For earthiness, use cumin, coriander, oregano, and allspice.
• Garlic granules with fennel seeds: for a savory, rich flavor.
• And smoked paprika to enhance the smokey flavor of the chilies.

In order to balance out the flavor of the chili powder, I also add a little salt and sugar.

Making Chili Powder

Preparing the chilies is the first step in making this recipe.

To cut the chilies’ stems off, use precise kitchen scissors. Make a slit down one of the sides next.

Remove the seeds by peeling open each pepper along the slit.

After that, toast the whole spices and chilies. For about 30 seconds or until fragrant, toast the chiles, cumin seeds, coriander, and fennel in a dry skillet over low heat. Give them a little time to cool…

…then chop the chilies into little bits. This process aids in blending them up uniformly in the spice mill.

Finally, combine! To make a fine powder, combine the crushed chili peppers, cumin, coriander, fennel, paprika, oregano, garlic, allspice, salt, and sugar in a spice grinder. Working in batches could be necessary, depending on the size of your spice grinder.

That’s it! For up to 12 months, keep the chili powder in an airtight container.

How to Use it?

Although it should go without saying, this handmade chili powder is excellent for making…chili! You could certainly use this homemade chili seasoning in your favorite chili recipe if it calls for chili powder.

There are still more ways you can use this spice mixture, though. There are several ways to cook with it as follows:

• Add some roasted vegetables to it. Consider potatoes, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, or cauliflower. I also enjoy it on crispy roasted chickpeas, which are not a vegetable.
• It is sprinkled on avocado toast.
• You can sprinkle it on your preferred dips, such as guacamole or vegan cheese dip.
• Simmer it with some beans, such as pinto beans, stovetop black beans, or black beans from an instant pot.
• It would also be wonderful in these homemade refried beans!
• Add flavor to homemade fries. sweet potato, regular, or both!
• Put it in your preferred soups. The silky black bean soup benefits greatly from its addition.
• Add it to the marinade for fajitas.
• In tacos like Spicy Mango & Black Bean Tacos or Avocado Sweet Potato Tacos, you may also add it.

Chili Powder

This handmade chili powder has a rich, earthy, and smokey flavor. Naturally, it will give the chili a strong taste boost, but it’s also excellent for seasoning roasted vegetables, beans, soups, and other dishes. For particular recommendations, see the post above.

Ingredients

• 6 dried guajillo chiles or 3 dried ancho chiles
• 3 teaspoons cumin seeds
• 1½ teaspoons coriander seeds
• ¾ teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1½ teaspoons dried garlic granules
• 1½ teaspoons smoked paprika
• ¾ teaspoon oregano
• Heaping ¼ teaspoon of allspice
• Heaping ¼ teaspoon of sea salt
• ⅛ teaspoon sugar

Instructions

1. To remove the stems from the guajillo or ancho chiles, use scissors. Next, split each pepper in half to access the seeds. For about 30 seconds, toast the chiles, cumin, coriander, and fennel seeds in a dry skillet over low heat until aromatic.
2. The chilies should be broken up into small bits and added to a spice grinder. Add the garlic, paprika, oregano, allspice, salt, and sugar. Also, add the cumin, coriander, and fennel seeds. Using batches if required, grind the mixture to a powder.