While its military namesake was designed for blasting through obstacles, the Bangalore Torpedo chilli pepper is an explosive designed to blast through blandness and launch your taste buds on a fiery, flavourful adventure. This chilli hails from Bangalore in Southern India, a region celebrated for its vibrant and diverse chilli cultivation. Forget tech startups; this pepper is a testament to the area's deep agricultural roots. It's a traditional landrace variety of Capsicum annuum, meaning local farmers have carefully selected and perfected it over generations for its unique shape and taste, making it a true piece of India's culinary heritage. While it's firmly in the annuum family (which includes everything from bell peppers to cayenne), some botanists have noted traits of its cousin, Capsicum frutescens, hinting at a fascinating and complex family tree that has likely mingled in the region's gardens for centuries.
The Bangalore Torpedo plant is a sturdy, bushy, and incredibly generous producer, often reaching a height of 75 to 120 cm and becoming laden with an abundance of its signature pods. And what pods they are! Living up to their name, they are impressively long and slender, typically measuring a whopping 15 to 25 cm (that's 6 to 10 inches!) from stem to tip. These elegant, thin-walled fruits have a glossy, sometimes wrinkled skin and often finish with a quirky, twisted point that looks like a little pig's tail. Watching them grow is a treat in itself, as they transform from a bright, zesty green to a deep, vibrant, and glossy red when fully mature, signalling a shift from a sharp heat to one with more underlying sweetness.
Now for the fun part: the flavour explosion. The Bangalore Torpedo is a pepper with a personality, and its heat can be a delightful surprise, registering anywhere from a punchy 30,000 to a seriously hot 80,000 on the Scoville Heat Unit (SHU) scale. This places it in the same league as a hot Cayenne or a Thai Bird's Eye chilli, offering a potent but satisfying fire. But it's not just about the heat; the flavour is a clean, sharp, and quintessential peppery taste with subtle earthy notes and a mild sweetness that comes through as it ripens. This versatility makes it a workhorse in the kitchen. Slice it fresh into authentic Indian curries and stir-fries, pickle it to make a traditional achar , or take advantage of its thin walls by drying it to create a powerful homemade chilli powder. For a truly authentic experience, try making Bharwan Hari Mirch (stuffed chillies): slit the green torpedoes lengthwise, fill them with a toasted, spiced gram flour stuffing, and gently fry them until tender for a side dish that's as delicious as it is dramatic.
| Quantity of Seeds |
10 seeds per packet |
| Origin |
India |
| Genus |
Capsicum annuum |
| Scoville Rating/Heat Level |
The Bangalore Torpedo Chilli packs a significant punch, offering a heat level that is both potent and satisfying. It typically registers between 50,000 to 80,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU). This places it firmly in the hot category, comparable to or slightly hotter than many cayenne peppers, and often similar to a powerful Thai Bird's Eye chilli. The heat builds quickly to a sharp peak and then dissipates, leaving a warm and pleasant lingering sensation, making it an excellent choice for adding serious fire to your dishes.
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| Plant Size |
The Bangalore Torpedo plant is a sturdy and highly productive grower, generally reaching a height of 75-120 cm (30-48 inches). It develops a strong, upright, and bushy habit, making it relatively easy to manage despite its abundant fruit set. |
| Pod Size |
The pods are the most striking feature of this variety. They are long, slender, and distinctly pointed, resembling a "torpedo" or a large finger chilli. Typically measuring an impressive 15-25 cm (6-10 inches) in length and about 1.5-2.5 cm (0.6-1 inch) in diameter, they mature from a bright green to a vibrant, glossy deep red when fully ripe. Their substantial size makes them highly desirable for various culinary applications. |
| Flavour |
Beyond its considerable heat, the Bangalore Torpedo Chilli offers a robust and quintessential "chilli" flavour. It has a clean, sharp peppery taste with subtle earthy undertones and a mild, underlying sweetness that develops as it ripens. It lacks the strong fruity or smoky notes of some other varieties, allowing its pure chilli essence to shine through. This makes it incredibly versatile for use in authentic Indian curries, stir-fries, pickling, drying to make powerful chilli powders or flakes, or simply slicing fresh into dishes where a bold chilli flavour and substantial heat are desired.
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| Growing Conditions |
Plant seeds about 0.5 cm (¼ inch) deep in a fine, well-draining seed-starting mix. Sow seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before the last frost. Optimal soil temperature: 24–28°C (75–82°F). Maintain consistent moisture using a humidity dome or clear cover; avoid overwatering. Transplant seedlings when they have 4–6 true leaves and after the risk of frost has passed. Harden off plants for 7–10 days before moving outdoors. Space plants 45–60 cm (18–24 inches) apart in rows or garden beds. Water regularly, keeping soil evenly moist but not waterlogged. Allow the top inch of soil to dry between waterings. Use a balanced fertilizer during vegetative growth; switch to a fertilizer higher in potassium and phosphorus at flowering to boost fruit set.
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All plants are grown on our farm in Norfolk, UK and are grown in an open pollinated area.
