Chilli, Ristra's, Drying & flaking

Wow its been 5 months since my last food blog so here it is................
I grew my own chillies through the summer & as well as cooking with fresh chilli I also made chilli ristra's & hung them up to dry. I apologise for not having a photo of the Ristra's.
To make a chilli ristra you need to pick the chilli with a long stalk then thread a needle with cotton & pierce the stalk at an angle slanting upwards pull the cotton through then add the next chilli in the same way. Move the chillie's around so the ristra is evenly spaced & then hange it in a light but cool dry place that will get air around them. Do not use or keep any chillie's that have gone white as this is mouldy, throw these away as soon as you see them so they do not infect the other chillie's.

When the Chillie's are completely dried out you can chop them grind them or flake them & store for use in sauces & con carne's etc I also add a bit of a pep to mince with a little chilli.
If you can, wear gloves while doing this :)
Take the chilli & pull of the stalk. Split the chillie & remove the seeds then break up & put on a chopper grinder or Mortar & pestle. Grind or chop till you have the consistency you want then fill a jar with the chilli & some seed's (but not all).
Save some or most of the seeds for growing new plants.

 Please be careful or like me you will end up burning your mouth & worse very sensitive parts!!!! I have washed my hands 20 odd times & still I keep getting areas of burn, Please don't go near your eyes till you know for definite the next day that all the chilli oil has been washed away.