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I would love to hear how the chili powder substitutes worked, or any additional suggestions for chili powder substitutes, since I am also allergic to chili powder.
I am wondering what in the chili powder you all are allergic to??? if it's the chili...then subbing a fresh chili would be the same thing, right???? and cayenne is a chili too...but cayenne powder is usually just the dried ground chili...nothing added...cumin is okay...but it is a smoky flavor not spicy, most chili powders have several ingredients so check out the listing of ingredients, it's hard as sometimes they just say "spices"....maybe a spicy paprika??? never had that as we love chili powder, cayenne and red pepper flakes..cayenne and the red pepper flakes are just that..nothing added..
and I do see that this is a really old post...but the question is still out there...hope you can find something that gives you that spice you love...
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That's a good question. I don't know what it is I'm allergic to in chili powder, and you're right, the ingredients on chili powder say a generic "spices." However, I did come across a recipe for chili powder online that consists of cayenne pepper, cumin, paprika, and a few other spices, none of which I've had bad reactions too. I'm actually trying it tonight in a black bean burger recipe, so we'll see how it goes!
I have just tried this out and I have found that 50/50 is way to much of both. Cayenne is no joke and is pretty spicy stuff. You do not need much cayenne at all to get the kick you need for your chili. That being said, cumin is a very strong spice as well. If you put to much of it in, then you end up only tasting cumin.
So, I thought of something else to add to balance them out a little more. Paprika sounded good because it has a rather sweet taste that compliments the hotness of the cayenne and gives the tongue a little extra to think about when it reaches the cumin.
also that being said, I would say 1/4tsp cayenne 1/4tsp cumin and 1/2tsp paprika is still a little strong to equal 1tsp of chili powder.
My chili recipe calls for 2tbs(6tsp) chili powder. That is a lot of spice for having just 3 at the base of it. I went ahead and tried it anyway. As I thought, my chili came out quite a bit over spiced.
with all that being said. This is not a bad substitute. But, I would recommend cutting the conversion in half. If the recipe calls for 2tbs chili powder, add in only 1tbs of the substitute. If it is not enough at the end then you can always dash in a little more later. It should actually be one of those things you add in gradually until it's to taste.
A lot of the flavor in chili powder comes from ground cumin. Try the cumin by itself. Other flavors in chili powder are onion powder, mexican oregano and sometimes a little garlic powder.
Old cooking measurements: drop, pinch, dash, dessert-spoonful, salt-spoonful, size of a walnut, size of an egg, teacupful, coffee-cupful, wine-glassful, tumblerful, Handful.
I'm guessing that you do not know what ingredient in the commercial chili powder to which you are allergic. I use ground dried New Mexico chili + a little cumin + Mexican oregano + powdered onion and powdered garlic. Suggestion: if you could try just a little of the ground chili and leave out the rest of the ingredients. Then start adding them one at a time until you know to which one you are allergic.
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have you tried black pepper it comes from the pepper corn and i usually crush mine in my coffee grinder for i find the commercial grinders don't do it fine enough and you end up with the pepper at the bottom of the dish, hope you find a substitute for i don't know what i would do without my chilli. for mild pepper you can use white pepper i am not sure but you should be able to get this all in America, as i am in Scotland. all the best.
The only ingredient in the commercial blend of chili powder that you would not add were you to make it at home is silicone dioxide, which prevents powders from caking. If, as you stated, you have had no allergic reaction to the other natural ingredients, it may be the preservative or this anti-caking additive to which you are allergic. If you find the solution, let us know.... good luck! I couldn't live without chili powder!!
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