Building heat: a short guide to Indian chilies

The biggest revelation for a home cook is that heat and colour are separate dials. The Kashmiri chili, for instance, gives a glorious deep-red hue with only mild heat — which is exactly why it is the workhorse of restaurant-style gravies that look fiery but eat gently.

At the other end sit the small, fierce varieties — the guntur and the bird's eye — where a single pod can dominate a whole pot. In between there is a whole spectrum, and good cooking often means blending two: a Kashmiri chili for the colour and body, and a smaller hot chili added in a measured amount for the actual burn.

Form matters too. Whole dried chilies fried in oil give a smoky, rounded warmth. Chili powder gives an even, all-through heat. Fresh green chilies bring a brighter, grassier sharpness that sits on top of a dish rather than underneath it. They are not interchangeable, and a recipe usually means the one it names.

If a dish comes out too hot, do not reach for water — reach for fat, acid or sweetness. A spoon of yoghurt, cream or ghee, a squeeze of lime, or a little sugar or jaggery will pull the heat back into balance far better than anything else.