The real and much-loved heat around ‘pandu mirapakaya’

When the season of pandu mirapakaya (ripe red chilli) arrives at the end of winter, there is no stopping chilli lovers in the Telugu states. Sold in heaps by the roadside, the vivid red chilli is a coveted ingredient in regional cuisine. Ripe chilli from Warangal, Telangana, is not too hot; in fact, it has a sweet aroma and leaves a sweetish aftertaste. The skin is fleshy and becomes slightly leathery when left to dry. If not sun-dried or refrigerated, these chillis do not last long. Despite being mild, pandu mirapakaya is rarely eaten raw, and popularly made into pickles, chutneys or used as an ingredient to add colour and spice to dishes.