The small round intensely hot Kashmiri dalle chilli preserved in mustard oil with spices — a fiery condiment from the Kashmir Valley used in tiny amounts to season food.
Ingredients
200g dalle khursani (the small round hot chilli of the Kashmir Valley — very hot; handle with gloves; available at specialty stores; substitute with any small round hot chilli)
3 tbsp mustard oil — heated to smoking and cooled completely
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds — coarsely crushed
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp kalonji (nigella seeds)
1 tbsp salt
Method
Wash dalle chillies. Dry completely — sun-dry or fan-dry for 1 to 2 hours.
Every drop of surface moisture must be removed to prevent spoilage.
Wear rubber gloves when handling. Make a slit in each chilli from tip to near the stem.
Mix fenugreek, turmeric, kalonji and salt together.
Heat mustard oil to smoking. Cool completely to room temperature.
Stuff a small pinch of spice mixture into each slit chilli.
Pack tightly into a clean completely dry glass jar.
Pour the cooled mustard oil over them. The oil must cover the chillies completely.
Seal. Keep in direct sunlight for 4 to 5 days, shaking daily.