Chilli peppers, resembling berries, play a dual role in kitchens, gracing dishes in both fresh and dried forms. Drying chillies preserves them, either through conventional methods or pickling.

Once dried, these peppers take on various roles – ground into powders for general use or featured whole in dishes like Mexican chilles rellenos. The chipotle, a smoked, dried jalapeño, adds a distinctive touch.

Beyond their fiery fruit, chilli plant leaves feature in Filipino, Korean, and Japanese cuisines. Filipino tinola incorporates chilli leaves, while Korean kimchi and Japanese tsukudani-style preservation also enlist them.

In Bhutan, chilli is a culinary linchpin, known as "ema" or "solo," shaping dishes like the iconic ema datsi and permeating curries across the country.

India's culinary landscape thrives on green chillies, omnipresent in households. Fried in oil at the dish's outset, they bring heat to curries, with states like Rajasthan crafting entire chili-centric dishes. Chilli peppers, both fiery and versatile, continue to spice up global kitchens.