Dried chillies are one of the most important spices in Southeast Asian cuisine when it involves a spicy dish. In Indonesia, dried chillies are produced for export purposes to neighbouring countries like Malaysia or Singapore. The other biggest exporter of dried chillies to the Southeast Asian region is India. Malaysia, too, has several producers planting and processing chillies. As the demand in Malaysia is much higher than the supply, dried chillies sold in Malaysia are mostly from India or the neighbouring country, Indonesia. Sun-drying is the most natural method when it comes to drying the chillies as it requires no preparation. Direct sunlight and heat are the only success factors to ensure a bountiful supply of dried chillies. Fresh chillies are dried under the sun for at least 3 days. The moisture available in the chillies should be brought down to 10% to ensure that it stays flavourful and retain its colour. Once dried, the chillies are sold as they are or further processed into chilli powder.
