Caliber at 06:40, 23 April 2026

2026-04-23T06:40:16Z

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{{Short description|Spicy Chilli}}
{{Infobox cultivar
| species = ''[[Capsicum annuum]]''
| name = Dalle Khursani
| cultivar = Dalle Khursani
| origin = [[Nepal]]
| module = {{Infobox pepper
|embed = yes
|heat = Very hot
|scoville = 100,000 – 350,001
}}
| image = Dalle Khursani 1.jpg
}}

'''Dalle Khursani'''
({{Langx|ne|डल्ले खुर्सानी}},
Sikkimese: {{Bo-textonly|ཁ་ཚ་ཏྲི|lang=sip}} '''kha tsha tri'''), '''Akabare Khursani''', '''red cherry pepper chilli''' or simply '''Dalle''' is a variety of [[chilli pepper]] primarily cultivated in [[Nepal]], [[Bhutan]], the [[Sikkim|Indian state of Sikkim]], and the [[Darjeeling district|Darjeeling]] and [[Kalimpong district|Kalimpong]] districts of [[West Bengal|Indian state of West Bengal]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Dalle Khursani: Sikkim's Red Hot Chilli Pepper |url=https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/sikkim-s-red-hot-chilli-pepper |access-date=2022-05-16 |website=Lonely Planet |language=en}}</ref> Its pungency ranges between 100,000 and 350,000 SHU ([[Scoville heat units]]), similar to the [[Habanero|Habanero chilli pepper]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Dalle Khursani - When You Don't Feel Spicy Enough! |url=https://food.ndtv.com/food-drinks/dalle-khursani-when-you-dont-feel-spicy-enough-1783422 |access-date=2022-05-16 |website=NDTV Food |date=5 July 2016 |language=en}}</ref>

== Etymology ==
The name Dalle Khursani literally translates to ‘round chillies’ in [[Nepali language|Nepali]], owing to its physical attributes. In Nepal, it is also called ''Akabare Khursani'' ([[Literary translation|lit.]] king of chillies) or ''Jyaanamara Khursani'' ([[Literary translation|lit.]] murderer chillies).<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=पिरो अकबरे खुर्सानीको गुलियो फाइदा :: शिलापत्र संवाददाता :: Shilapatra शिलापत्र - खबरको स्थायी ठेगाना |url=https://shilapatra.com/detail/40176 |access-date=2022-09-23 |website=shilapatra.com}}</ref>

In the [[Sikkimese people|Sikkimese]] [[Bhutia language]], it is known as akubari ([[Literary translation|lit.]] spicy uncle).<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal |last=Bhutia |first=Kalzang Dorjee |date=2024-04-02 |title=The Chile is my uncle: Spicy kinship between humans and more-than-humans in the Sikkimese Himalayas |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07409710.2024.2333114 |journal=Food and Foodways |language=en |volume=32 |issue=2 |pages=122–141 |doi=10.1080/07409710.2024.2333114 |issn=0740-9710|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

== Plant ==
Dalle Khursani are the only known [[polyploidy|polyploidal]] variety of pepper.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Jha |first1=Timir Baran |last2=Bhowmick |first2=Biplab Kumar |date=July 2021 |title=Conservation of floral, fruit and chromosomal diversity: a review on diploid and polyploid Capsicum annuum complex in India |journal=Molecular Biology Reports |volume=48 |issue=7 |pages=5587–5605 |doi=10.1007/s11033-021-06355-4|pmid=34235618 }}</ref> The plant belongs to the family [[Solanaceae]] and genus [[Capsicum]]. It grows up to 100-130 cm height in an open field and 150-180 cm height in greenhouse conditions.<ref name=":3">{{cite web |last=Ravidas |first=Rajeev |date=3 September 2020 |title=GI tag on Sikkim's red chilli |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/chilli-earns-bengals-hill-district-duo-gi-tag-honour-for-dalle-khursani-belts/cid/1832814 |access-date=17 September 2024 |website=[[Telegraph India]] |publisher=}}</ref>

=== Fruit ===
The chilli is high in vitamin A, vitamin E, and potassium, and low in sodium. One hundred grams of fresh dalle khursani have 240 mg of vitamin C (five times higher than an orange), 11,000 IU of vitamin A, and 0.7 mg of vitamin E.<ref name=":3" /> Its pungency ranges between 100,000 and 350,000 SHU ([[Scoville heat units]]), similar to the [[Habanero|Habanero chilli pepper]].<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />
[[File:Dalle Khursani And Fermented Bamboo Shoot Pickle.jpg|alt=A bowl of chilles And Fermented Bamboo Shoot Pickle|thumb|''Dalle Khursani'' and ''Tama'' (Fermented Bamboo Shoot) [[South Asian pickle|achaar]], a popular Nepali pickle]]

== Serving methods==
* Whole chilli: as a relish eaten with [[Dal bhat]].<ref name=":1" />
* Chopped: used in various vegetable and meat curries.
* Paste: as chutneys and sauces for [[Momo (food)|Momo]].
* Pickle: [[South Asian pickle|Dalle Achaar]]
* Fermented: fermented with yak–buttermilk

== Trade ==
In 2019 Sikkim produced around 250 tonnes of dalle khursani. Around 60 percent of the state's production of the chilli is consumed within the state; a major portion of the rest is sold in North Bengal and Northeast India. The state government-owned Sikkim Supreme procured 50 tonnes of the chilli that year to make pickles and pastes. <ref name=":3" />

=== Geographical Indication ===
In 2020 India's department of Industry Promotion and Internal Trade granted the [[Geographical indication|Geographic Indication]] (GI) tag for the chilli to the Indian state of [[Sikkim]] based on application filed by the North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation.<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{cite web |last=Hazarika |first=Mythili |date=5 September 2020 |title=One of the world's spiciest chillies — Sikkim's Dalle Khursani — to get GI tag |url=https://theprint.in/neye/one-of-the-worlds-spiciest-chillies-sikkims-dalle-khursani-gets-gi-tag/496487/ |access-date=17 September 2024 |publisher=The Print}}</ref> In September 2021 the GI tag was extended to the neighbouring [[Darjeeling district|Darjeeling]] and [[Kalimpong district|Kalimpong]] districts where the chilli has also been grown for ages.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Chhetri |first=Vivek |date=30 September 2021 |title=Chilli earns hill-district duo GI tag, honour for 'Dalle Khursani' belts |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/chilli-earns-bengals-hill-district-duo-gi-tag-honour-for-dalle-khursani-belts/cid/1832814 |access-date=17 September 2021 |work=[[Telegraph India]]}}</ref>

== References ==

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Nepalese cuisine]]
[[Category:Culture of Sikkim]]
[[Category:GI Tagged Chillies of India]]
[[Category:Capsicum cultivars]]
[[Category:Chili peppers]]
{{nepal-cuisine-stub}}
{{Vegetable-stub}}

Dalle Khursani - Revision history

Caliber at 06:40, 23 April 2026