Small red chillies Photograph — Small red chillies (representative photograph). Source image unavailable; caption preserved. Wikimedia Commons ↗
Spices, Aromatics & Dried Foods · Sikkim, Darjeeling hills

Dalle Khursani

A small, round, extremely pungent chilli native to Sikkim and the Darjeeling hills, traditionally fermented into a fiery pickle that is a staple condiment of Nepali and Sikkimese households.

GI status: GI-registered, 2018 Shelf life: 1–2 years pickled/fermented in sealed jars Women-led sector
CategorySpices, Aromatics & Dried Foods
RegionSikkim, Darjeeling hills
GI statusGI-registered, 2018
Typical shelf life1–2 years pickled/fermented in sealed jars
Women's role in productionGrown in kitchen gardens tended by hill women and processed into the region's iconic fermented chilli pickle largely in home and SHG-run kitchens.

Why this fits a low-wastage SHG model: Fermentation and bottling turns a fast-spoiling fresh chilli into a shelf-stable jar product, ideal for an SHG production line.

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