Mathania Chilli — Rajasthani Colour and Heat Spice (माठानिया मिर्ची)

Mathania town, Jodhpur district, Rajasthan — a GI-tagged agricultural product of the region

Mathania chilli (Capsicum annuum cultivar from the Mathania town near Jodhpur, Rajasthan) is a variety with a distinctive deep red colour, moderate heat, and an intensely fruity, slightly sweet flavour that distinguishes it from generic red chillies. It is the defining spice of Rajasthani laal maas and is increasingly sought as a GI-tagged ingredient. The drying and grinding technique matters: the chillies are sun-dried until completely dehydrated, then used whole (soaked and ground as a paste) or as dried seeds and skin in specific preparations. The colour compound (capsanthin and capsorubin) is more concentrated in this variety than in commercially grown alternatives.

• The colour-specific chilli for both colour and moderate heat parallels the use of pimentón de la Vera in Spanish cooking and gochugaru in Korean preparations.

Primary application in laal maas and Rajasthani kebabs. Also used in masala preparations for desert vegetable dishes.