Hottest Chillies of Northeast India
Dalle Khursani This round cherry pepper is Sikkim’s signature chilli—a round ball of sweet fire that’s synonymous with the state itself. Dalles are beautiful to look at, especially when they’re a ripe, red colour. They deliver a fiery punch but taste as good too, with an unmistakable hint of sweet and fruity notes.
Bhut Jolokia This Ghost Chilli of Assam needs no introduction. The Guinness Book of Records named it the hottest chilli in the world in 2007 but now it’s relegated to sixth place.
Naga King Chilli You can’t ignore this fiery cousin of the Bhut Jolokia and the two share closely similar features. Naga king chilli is placed in a taxonomic position between Capsicum chinense and Capsicum frutescens with a closer leaning towards the former.
Hmarcha te – Mizo Chilli Bird’s eye chilli (Capsicum frutescens) has come a long way from the Amazon Basin and the Mexican city of Tabasco to the Lushai Hills of Mizoram. It’s prevalent all over the Northeast but Mizoram has gone one up in obtaining the Geographical Indication tag for their prized ‘hmarcha te’ or ‘vai hmarcha’ or ‘Mizoram bird’s eye chilli’.
Sohmynken Khnai – Meghalaya’s Bird’s Eye Chilli Meghalaya’s sohmynken khnai or bird’s eye chilli isn’t different in looks from bird’s eye chillies of other northeastern states except perhaps in pungency levels.
Hathei Chilli Sixty-six kilometres west of Manipur’s capital city, Imphal, in Ukhrul district, lies the bustling village of Sirarakhong. This village is now famous for the Northeast’s only chilli festival, the Hathei Phanit Festival, held every year since 2009 to showcase Ukhrul’s rich wealth of chillies of various kinds and species.
Krishna Jolokia Not everyone can stomach the punishing pungency of Bhut Jolokia, Naga King Chilli, Dalle Khursane, or Bird’s Eye Chilli. For folks such as these, the Krishna Jolokia of Assam is the finest option.
Sohmynken Bhot or Beb or ‘Ken Rakot Meghalaya’s Sohmynken Beb or Bhot is also of similar texture and characteristics to the Bhut Jolokia of Assam, the Naga King Chilli of Nagaland, and the U Morok of Manipur - it's equally fiery and fearsome.
Sohmynken Kba Like tiny bullets, ‘ken kba are small, slender, and stinging chillies that are found in Meghalaya. About 3 to 4 cm in length, they aren’t as tiny as ‘ken khnai nor as spicy but they’re popular as raw complements to a meal or to make pickles and chutneys.
Sohmynken Ding In Khasi, 'ding' means 'fire' and ‘ken ding is as fiery as its name. It’s similar to Dalle Khursani of Sikkim, round but a little flat at the tip. Take a bite and a piercing hot sensation with hints of sweet fruit greets your taste buds.