For colour without much heat, pick Kashmiri chilli powder. For everyday heat with lighter colour, pick Guntur. For very hot and deep red, pick the Karnataka spicy chilli. Shopping for a spice shop in TDM Hall, Durbar Hall Road, Kochi, or somewhere in the Ernakulam, Kaloor or Marine Drive areas? This page helps you decide before you reach the counter.
Last updated 11 October 2026 · Written by the Miller Stores team
Key takeaways
- Heat and colour are separate choices: Kashmiri leads on colour, Guntur and Karnataka lead on heat.
- Blending a hot chilli with a Kashmiri one lets you set heat independently of colour.
Where can I find these chilli powders near TDM Hall and Ernakulam?
The Miller Stores shop at TDM Hall, Durbar Hall Rd is listed as Miller Stores TDM Hall on Google Maps. Check opening hours on the Google Maps listing, and ask at the counter for current availability of any powder below, because stock varies.
For the general checklist, read how to choose good chilli powder. This page covers the narrower question of which of three chillies suits your dish.
What is the real difference between the three powders?
It comes down to what each product page says about heat and colour. The table below keeps to those statements.
| Powder | Heat as the page states it | Colour as the page states it | Dishes the page names |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premium Kashmiri Chili Powder | Very low | Very high | Tandoori and tikka marinades, rogan josh, butter chicken |
| Guntur Chili Powder | Hot, several times hotter than Kashmiri, a clean forward heat | Lighter ("high heat without a strong red color") | Andhra and Telangana gravies, karam podi, avakaya and other pickles, rasam |
| Spicy Chili (Karnataka) | Fiery | Vibrant, deep red | Curries, gravies and marinades |
Which one should I choose for a red, mild gravy?
Choose Premium Kashmiri Chili Powder when the dish should look rich and red without burning. Its page says the red you see is the chilli and nothing is added to deepen it, and it lists only one ingredient: Kashmiri-type chilli.
The page adds that much of what the market calls Kashmiri chilli is Kashmiri-type chilli grown elsewhere, so read the name as a profile of low heat and high colour, not a guarantee of origin.
Which one should I choose when heat matters more than colour?
Choose Guntur Chili Powder for dishes where the chilli leads. Its page ties the heat to how much seed and placenta goes into the mill, and says you can ask for it ground with more or less seed. Ask at the counter whether that option is offered at the TDM Hall shop.
For a hotter, deeper red, Spicy Chili (Karnataka) is the third option. Its page is shorter than the Guntur one: it describes fiery heat and vibrant red colour, one ingredient, no added colour, starch or anti-caking agent, milled to order.
How do I blend them to set heat and colour separately?
The Kashmiri and Guntur pages both suggest blending a hotter chilli with a Kashmiri one. Here is a simple way to try it at home.
- Start from the Kashmiri powder for the colour you want in the dish.
- Add Guntur or Karnataka powder a pinch at a time.
- Taste after each pinch, because heat builds as the gravy simmers.
If you are adapting a recipe written for Kashmiri powder and swap in Guntur, the Guntur page advises starting with a quarter of the quantity.
How do I check any chilli powder for added colour?
Sprinkle half a teaspoon on a glass of still water without stirring. The Kashmiri page says pure powder floats and then sinks as a mass, while a water-soluble dye sends coloured streaks running down. This is an indicative home check and cannot tell you about pesticides or other contaminants.
For batch testing, see the Miller Stores lab reports. The Kashmiri page notes that its published report screens 221 pesticide residues and explains what the report does and does not cover. The full buying checklist is in how to choose good chilli powder, and the story pages cover Kashmiri, Guntur and Karnataka spicy chilli powder.
Areas around TDM Hall / Durbar Hall Road
The Miller Stores shop at TDM Hall sits in Kochi's Ernakulam area. Readers searching from Kaloor, Marine Drive, Panampilly Nagar or along Banerji Road will find the same listing on Google Maps. We name these places only as familiar parts of Kochi [1]; for the route and opening hours, use the Maps listing. Ask at the counter whether a powder you want is in stock.
Popular products
Chilli seldom cooks alone; it sits beside Sambar Powder, coriander (Brown Coriander Powder for a mild, citrusy note, or Green Premium Coriander Powder for a more aromatic one) and turmeric (Turmeric Powder or Lakadong Turmeric Powder). For tempering and finishing, the same shelf lists Cold Pressed Coconut Oil and A2 Pure Gir Cow Ghee.
The popular picks below come with one line each from their pages. Ask at the counter for current availability.
| Product | One factual line |
|---|---|
| Premium Kashmiri Chili Powder | Kashmiri-type chilli with very low heat and very high colour, milled from whole pods. |
| Guntur Chili Powder | Sannam-type pods; a clean forward heat that the page puts several times above Kashmiri. |
| Spicy Chili (Karnataka) | Described for fiery heat and vibrant red colour; its page says it is milled to order. |
| Cold Pressed Coconut Oil | Unrefined, cold pressed oil for cooking, baking and more. |
| Lakadong Turmeric Powder | Meghalaya turmeric, listed with a curcumin level of 8+%. |
| Turmeric Powder | Sourced from Gujarat, listed with 3+% curcumin. |
| Sambar Powder | A blend of coriander, cumin, fenugreek and chillies for South Indian sambar. |
| Brown Coriander Powder | A light, citrusy note and mild sweetness for curries, gravies and stir-fries. |
| Green Premium Coriander Powder | Small-seeded, intensely aromatic coriander for curries, soups and marinades. |
| A2 Pure Gir Cow Ghee | Gir cow ghee made by the traditional bilona hand-churned method. |
Frequently asked questions
Which chilli powder gives the most colour with the least heat?
Premium Kashmiri Chilli Powder. Its product page describes very low heat and very high colour, which is why it goes into tandoori marinades and rogan josh. If you want red without burn, start there and add a hotter powder only if the dish needs it.
Is Guntur chilli powder hotter than Karnataka spicy chilli?
The product pages describe both as hot, but only the Guntur page gives a comparison: several times hotter than Kashmiri, with a clean forward heat. The Karnataka page describes fiery heat and a deep red. Compare the two at the counter and judge by your own dish.
Can I mix Kashmiri and Guntur chilli powder?
Yes. The Kashmiri and Guntur product pages both suggest blending a hot chilli with a Kashmiri one to set heat independently of colour. Start with more Kashmiri for a red, mild gravy, then add Guntur a pinch at a time until the heat suits you.
How much Guntur powder replaces Kashmiri powder in a recipe?
The Guntur product page advises starting with about a quarter of the quantity when adapting a recipe written for Kashmiri powder, then adjusting. A teaspoon of Guntur is not interchangeable with a teaspoon of Kashmiri, so add it gradually and taste as you go.
How can I check a chilli powder for added colour?
The Kashmiri product page describes sprinkling a little powder on still water without stirring. Pure powder floats, then sinks as a mass, while a water-soluble dye sends coloured streaks through the water. It is an indicative home check only, not a lab test.
Which chilli powder is available at the TDM Hall shop right now?
Ask at the counter for current availability. Check opening hours on the Google Maps listing for Miller Stores TDM Hall, Durbar Hall Road before you go.
Sources
- Wikipedia. Kochi, which lists Ernakulam, Kaloor, Marine Drive and Panampilly Nagar among Kochi's neighbourhoods and Banerji Road among its major roads. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kochi
All other statements come from the Miller Stores product pages linked above. The home water check is indicative only.
Visit this Miller Stores location
Store: The Miller, TDM Hall
Address: Durbar Hall Road, TDM Hall, Kochi
Hours: Verify current hours on Google Maps before visiting.
Open this store in Google Maps. Confirm today’s hours and product availability before travelling.