Dried Naga King Chile Peppers
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Dried Naga King chile peppers are small in size, averaging 2 to 5 centimeters in length, and generally have a conical shape that tapers to a distinct point on the non-stem end. The dry pods showcase a shriveled, sunken appearance and vary from straight to slightly curved. The skin is tough, waxy, textured, and covered in deep furrows, grooves, and wrinkles when dried. The crinkled skin also appears in shades of bright red, dark red, to red-brown. Underneath the surface, the flesh is thin, leathery, and dry. When rehydrated, the pods develop a softer, succulent texture. The flesh also encases a central cavity filled with tiny, round, and flat seeds. Dried Naga King chile peppers emit a subtly sweet, tangy, and fruity aroma. The pods are either rehydrated or ground into a powder for culinary use and have an initially sweet, fruity, and tart flavor with smokey, grassy, floral, and citrusy undertones. Naga King chile peppers are extremely hot, even when dried, and have a slow burn. The intensity of the heat does not rise on the palate until around thirty seconds after consumption but can linger for twenty to forty minutes.
Seasons/Availability
Naga King chile peppers are harvested at the end of the monsoon season through the mid-winter in northeastern India, typically between August and December. The fresh pepper’s peak season occurs between August and September, and dried versions are available year-round.
Current Facts
Dried Naga King chile peppers, botanically classified as Capsicum chinense, are dehydrated versions of a chile native to northeastern India, belonging to the Solanaceae or nightshade family. Naga King chile peppers grow on upright, leafy plants reaching 45 to 200 centimeters in height and are harvested fresh in the late summer through winter as a culinary and medicinal pepper. Fresh Naga King chile peppers have a short shelf life and only last a few days once harvested. Chile peppers are integral to the cuisines found in the pepper’s native growing regions, so communities dry the pods for year-round use. The name Naga King is a descriptor mostly used in the state of Nagaland in northeastern India. The peppers are also known as Bhut Jolokia, Bhoot Jolokia, and Bih Jolokia in the state of Assam, Omorok or U-Morok in Manipur, Raja Mirchi, Naga Jolokia, and Ghost pepper. The peppers are considered very hot, often nicknamed superhot, and range from 800,000 to 1,041,427 SHU on the Scoville scale. It is important to note that some Naga King chile peppers may be milder or hotter than this measurement, depending on their growing environment. Naga King is a general category and there are many local varieties of Naga King chiles that have been bred in villages throughout northeastern India with varying appearances, flavors, and spice level. Dried Naga King chile peppers are favored for their extended storage properties and are utilized in the same preparations as their fresh counterparts. The peppers must be rehydrated or ground into a powder for use as a spice. Red peppers are the preferred coloring and maturity stage for drying as they have developed the strongest flavor.
Nutritional Value
Dried Naga King chiles are a source of vitamin C to strengthen the immune system, vitamin A to maintain healthy organ functioning, and fiber to regulate the digestive tract. The peppers also provide other antioxidants to help reduce inflammation and protect the body against the damage caused by free radicals and contain high amounts of capsaicin, a chemical compound that triggers the brain to feel the sensation of heat or spice. Capsaicin has many anti-inflammatory properties that can help reduce digestive irregularities. In natural medicines throughout northeastern India, Naga King chile peppers are consumed to induce sweating to cool the body on hot days, are applied topically to toothaches, or combined into ointments for sore muscles. They are also used for headache and congestion remedies.
Applications
Naga King chile peppers are an integral ingredient in almost every meal in Nagaland, a state within northeastern India comprised of seventeen different tribes with varying customs and culinary traditions. Chile peppers add flavor, heat, depth, and complexity to dishes and most Nagas claim that a meal is not complete unless it has a Naga King chile pepper crushed in the dish. Each tribe uses Naga King chile peppers in different ways, depending on their recipes and customs, but the peppers are mainly incorporated for their flavor and heat. Dried Naga King chile peppers must be rehydrated before use or ground into a powder and scattered in dishes as a spice. Once rehydrated, the peppers can be used similarly to fresh pods and are traditionally crushed using a mortar and pestle to release their oils and flavor. Naga King chile peppers are often added to chutneys, sauces, and other condiments. They are also mixed into pickled dishes. In Nagaland, dishes are centered around smoked meats, fresh river fish, rice, and boiled vegetables. Naga King chile peppers are used as a foundational ingredient in dishes that feature these ingredients, including anishi, axone, curries, and meats cooked in bamboo tubes. The peppers can also be finely chopped and served as a topping over grilled or barbequed meats. Beyond rehydrating, Naga King chile peppers can be ground into powders and flakes for hot sauces, spices, and blends. Naga King chile peppers pair well with tomatoes, eggplant, aromatics such as garlic, ginger, and shallots, lemons, Sichuan pepper leaves, bamboo shoots, meats including chicken, pork, and beef, taro leaves, and tamarillos. Fresh Naga King chile peppers only last for 3 to 5 days, but dried versions can last for several years when stored in a sealed container in a cool, dry, and dark location.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Naga King chile peppers are honored through an annual festival held at Seiyhama village in Nagaland. Seiyhama village is approximately twenty-one kilometers outside of Kohima, Nagaland’s state capitol, and is known for its production of Naga King chile peppers. It is estimated that over 150 households in Seiyhama cultivate Naga King chile peppers, and the aromatic pods are a traditional part of the community. The first Naga King chile pepper festival was held in 2022 to promote tourism and boost the agricultural community within the village. The festival is typically held in September during peak harvest season and has helped provide an economic boost for chile growers within the village. During the festival, participatory activities such as viewing bamboo climbing, bamboo walking, shooting, and live song and dance performances gather members from the village and visiting guests, and there was even a Naga King chile pepper eating contest. Fresh Naga King chile peppers were also sold just below market price, attracting pepper enthusiasts. In 2024, over 2,400 kilograms of peppers were sold during the event, and other chile-centric products such as dried or pickled variations were available for purchase. The festival is a strategy to bring the community and nearby villages together while also promoting a vital, locally grown crop for increased awareness.
Geography/History
Naga King chile peppers are native to northeastern India and have been growing wild for thousands of years. Much of the pepper’s early history is unknown, but the pepper type was believed to be a descendant of varieties introduced from the Americas. After their arrival in Asia, various chile pepper species were spread along trade routes with traveling merchants and were planted in regions across India. These populations of chile pepper plants evolved through selective breeding and natural mutations, creating new varieties, including Naga King chile peppers. Within northeastern India, Naga King chile peppers arose from the states of Nagaland, Manipur, Assam, and possibly Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, and Meghalaya. Each region produces their own pepper type, which may vary in appearance, flavor, and heat, depending on their cultivation conditions. Naga King chile peppers were later shared and promoted to the rest of the world around the year 2000. In 2006, the variety was notably recorded as the world’s hottest chile by Guiness World Records and received a Geographical Indication, or GI Tag, in 2008. Since their 2006 award, other chile pepper types have surpassed Naga King chile peppers in heat, but the peppers are still known as a very hot type and are used to breed newer, hotter varieties. In Nagaland, Naga King chile peppers are grown in planted fields in a style of agriculture called jhum cultivation. Most of the plants are sown near rice paddy fields and are also planted in village gardens. Today, Naga King chile peppers are widely grown throughout northeastern India and are sold through local markets. Dried versions are also found in these markets and sold through online retailers. Outside of northeastern India, Dried Naga King chile peppers are occasionally offered through specialty chile shops in select regions worldwide. The Dried Naga King chile peppers featured in the photograph above were sourced through a local store in Kohima, the capitol of Nagaland, in northeastern India.
