[SAMANTHA MOLLY]

I have been picking chillis and stringing them to dry in the kitchen, one was sat on the cooker all night (a hot box) and has gone red...i haven't dried them before and wanted to know if its the heat of the cooker or a normal part of the process?
Thanks.

[Elcie]

This reminds me.  I bought a chilli plant in the garden centre sale at the end of the season last year.  Put it in my new greenhouse for a couple of weeks and then decided to dry the chillies.  I strung them on a piece of thread very carefully.  Making sure that the red and green ones were interspersed so that it looked really good.  Put them in the airing cupboard.  When I took them out they were all red!

[SAMANTHA MOLLY]

Hi
Do you think that it was the heat?

they look so pretty red :-)

[8doubles]

The red is where they are ripening and they will do this on the plant if you leave them. If you have lots of dried chillies try making a jar of harissa paste. Handy stuff to have in the fridge .

[compostqueen]

I am going to make harissa paste next year so am searching out suitable chilli varieties in readiness.  I did a little bit of research and some of the chillies used in the Tunisian harissa are in fact Indian, Afghan and Spanish. The world is a melting pot isn't it 

[sunshineband]

In answer to your orignal question Samanthamolly, chillis just go red when they dry, whether they be on the plant or in a ristra (string) or a hot box on the stove 

Clever little things 

[mumofstig]

she's probably worked that out by now - as she asked the question 3 years ago

CQ is trying to confuse us all..............

HoHoHo!

[sunshineband]

she's probably worked that out by now - as she asked the question 3 years ago

CQ is trying to confuse us all..............

HoHoHo!

Ho!Ho! Ho! indeed 

Seves me right for not reading all the information, doesn't it?

And my excuse is that strange bright light outside keeps distracting me.

What can it be??

Oh yes  --- sunshine!!!!!!!

[mumofstig]

No strange light here -what a shame 

Unless you count the ones on the Christmas tree 

[sunshineband]

Poor you

It was a great lift to the spirit, I can tell you