Chili Peppers

Botanical Name: Capsicum Annum
Common Names: Lal Mirch, Mulaku, Marcha
Origin: South America

Chili is the dried ripe fruit of the genus capsicum. Capsicum annum is an annual sub-shrub, the flowers of which are borne singly and fruits usually pendent. This provides red peppers, cayenne, paprika and chilies.

Chili pepper is the fruit of the plant capsicum from the nightshade family. The chili peppers and their various cultivators are grown around the world because they are widely used as spices or vegetables in cuisine and even as medicines.

Uses
Dry chili is used extensively a spice in curried dishes. It is also used as an ingredient in curry powder and in seasonings.

The dried fruits of chilli is ground into a powder and used as a pungent flavoring called paprika. The dried from the ground fruit of some cultivars is added to food as coloring. The preserving juice can also be used in marinades or salad dressings. It is used in a large variety of products, often in meat and pickling industry in the form of crushed or ground pepper.

It is used as stimulant, astringent, sudorific, antiseptic, and antirheumatic. It also has a tonic and carminative action and can be used to treat rheumatic fever. It is widely used in the treatment of several diseases including apoplexy, yellow fever, kidney problems, fatigue, lethargy, strokes, scarlet fever, congestion, constipation, offensive breath, dyspepsia and asthma.