Indian Dried Red Chillies: Teja, Byadgi, 334/Sannam and Wonder Hot

Match Indian dried chilli varieties to your use: Teja, Byadgi, 334/Sannam and Wonder Hot compared on ASTA colour and SHU heat, plus stemless vs with stem.

This guide will help you match an Indian dried red chilli variety to your use, read ASTA colour and SHU heat figures on an offer, and decide between stemless and with-stem.

India is the world's largest producer and exporter of dried chillies. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka grow the bulk of the export trade, and a few variety names cover most of what you will be offered.

Two numbers that matter: colour and heat

ASTA colour measures extractable red colour, using the American Spice Trade Association method. A higher number means more colour. Paprika-type and colour-focused chillies sit well above 100. Hot chillies with moderate colour sit lower.

SHU (Scoville Heat Units) measures pungency, from the capsaicin content. Labs today measure capsaicinoids by HPLC and convert the result to SHU. A higher number means hotter.

Colour and heat are largely independent. Some chillies are very red and mild. Others are very hot with modest colour. Blenders often mix varieties to hit a target on both.

Both figures vary with variety, season, growing area, and how the chillies were dried and stored. Treat any variety's "typical" range as a starting point and get the numbers for the actual lot.

The main varieties

The ranges below are indicative and vary from lot to lot. Always ask for a lab report on the lot you are buying.

Variety	Main origin	Heat	Colour	Typical use
Teja (S17)	Khammam, Telangana; Guntur, Andhra Pradesh	Very high (commonly quoted around 60,000–110,000 SHU)	Moderate to good, deep red	Hot sauces, hot powders, oleoresin for heat, markets that want heat
Byadgi	Haveri and Dharwad, Karnataka	Low (often under 15,000 SHU)	Very high (often 120+ ASTA)	Colour in powders and curries, paprika-style use, colour oleoresin
334 / Sannam (S4)	Guntur, Andhra Pradesh	Medium	Medium	General-purpose whole chilli and powder, the workhorse export type
Wonder Hot	South India (Telangana, Karnataka)	Medium	Good, bright red	Powders that need both colour and some heat

Teja

Teja is a hot, thin-skinned, deep red chilli. It is a major export to processors in Asia, especially for oleoresin, and to markets that want strong heat. A small quantity adds a lot of pungency, so blenders use it to bring up the heat of a mix.

Byadgi

Byadgi takes its name from Byadgi town in Karnataka, where a large chilli market operates. It is wrinkled, deep red and mild. Byadgi holds a GI tag. Its value is colour: curry blends, tandoori colours, and colour extraction. Expect a premium for high-ASTA lots.

334 and Sannam S4

"Sannam" is the broad trade name for Guntur's medium-heat chillies. "S4" and "334" are the most traded types within it. They have medium heat, decent colour and a long pod, and are the default choice for many importers buying whole chillies or grinding a general-purpose chilli powder.

Wonder Hot

Wonder Hot is a hybrid type valued for bright colour with medium heat. Grinders use it where a powder must look red and still have some bite.

Other names you may see

Offers also include 341, 273, 5531, Devanur Deluxe (DD), Kashmiri-type and Ramnad Mundu (round chilli from Tamil Nadu). Each has its own colour and heat profile. Ask for lab figures rather than relying on the name.

Where the trade happens

The Guntur Mirchi Yard in Andhra Pradesh is the largest dried chilli market in India. Khammam (Telangana) and Byadgi (Karnataka) are also major. New-crop chillies arrive from about December through to May, with peak arrivals in the first months of the year. After the season, stock comes from cold storage, where chillies hold colour better than in ambient warehouses.

Stemless vs with stem

With stem: chillies sold as harvested and dried, with the green stalk (calyx and stem) on. Cheaper per kg. The stem adds weight and some extraneous matter.
Stemless (stem cut): the stem removed, by hand or machine, leaving the cap. Higher price per kg, because of labour and weight loss, but more chilli per kg. Preferred for grinding and for retail whole-chilli packs.
Stemless without cap is also offered for grinding.

For powder production, stemless gives a cleaner, redder powder. If you buy with stem and grind, the stalks dilute colour and raise extraneous matter.

Quality points beyond variety

Moisture: commonly 10–12% max for whole chillies. Higher moisture invites mould.
Broken and loose seeds: cap them, for example 2–5%.
Discoloured pods: pale, patchy or spotted pods lower the grade.
Foreign matter: stones, stalks, dust.
Aflatoxins: chillies are a known aflatoxin risk. The EU sets maximum levels of 5 µg/kg for aflatoxin B1 and 10 µg/kg for total aflatoxins in chillies and chilli powder.
Ochratoxin A: the EU limit for Capsicum spices is 20 µg/kg.
Pesticide residues: test against your market's limits.
Illegal dyes: many buyers test chilli powder for Sudan dyes as standard.
Microbiology: Salmonella absent for ready-to-eat use.

Drying on clean surfaces, quick drying, and cold storage after harvest all reduce mould and mycotoxin risk. Ask how the lot was dried and stored.

Before you order

Variety, and why it suits your use
Stemless, stemless without cap, or with stem
ASTA colour minimum and SHU range, with test methods
Moisture, broken and foreign matter limits
Aflatoxin, ochratoxin A, residues and dye tests
Crop year and storage (cold store or ambient)
Pack: jute or PP bags or compressed bales for whole chillies, lined bags for powder
Incoterm and destination port
Sample approval and counter-sample

If you are buying dried chillies, send us the variety, colour and heat targets, pack size and destination port and we'll come back with a written quote.