Drying Chili Peppers

It looks like today I'm going to pack up all these chillies this early in the morning because the weather is cloudy. It seems a huge rain is coming, and I don't want to risk these chilis getting wet. Also, I'm all alone here, and packing this up will take some time.

Fresh chillies were bought from the farmers and dried under the sun. The price of chilis had dropped to the point that drying and storing it to later sell it became feasible. Dried chillies can be stored for years, so selling at a time when the price is up will bring a big profit.

How to dry chilis

The cheapest and most convenient way to dry chillies is by putting them under the sun. Fresh chillies were put in a net. The use of a net is to make it easier to gather, and putting it back and forth under the sun is convenient. It will take more than a week of continuous sunlight to dry it up. When the weather is not favorable, it can take up to 12 days. Chillies are dry when their skin feels brittle and their seeds are falling because the skin is peeling on its own.

Huge profit at proper timing

Chillies were considered a highly valued crop. I heard some stories that planting chilis made some people millionaires (in local currency). Fresh or dried chillies sometimes become very expensive because of the very small supply and high demand. So, because dried chillies can be stored for years, the timing of when to sell can bring a 5 to 10x return on the initial investment.

Proper storing

The number one problem with dried chillies is mold. Molds will grow when chillies are not properly dried or get humid when stored. The dried chillies should be stored in a plastic bag, sealed with tape, and stored in a dry, dark place.

Chill!