Tying and Drying Chile Peppers
Start with your favorite red chiles. You can choose as many as you'd like. The amount and size of the chiles will determine the size of your ristra. For a small ristra to tie on a drawer knob, try midget chiles. For a large ristra to hang from a high ceiling, try drying New Mexicans or NuMex Big Jims. Make sure that none of your chiles have soft spots. Group your chiles into three and tie the stems together with a kite weight string. Make sure to tie tightly so that they do not fall onto the floor after drying and ruin your hard work! Tie each stem individually before threading the three chiles together. Tie a length of heavy twine to a door frame or other high and sturdy object such as a tree branch. Tie off the end of the twine with a large knot. With another length of twine, tie your first group of chiles to the bottom of the hanging twine. Continue to add groups, rotating up the twine until you are out of chiles. To create a wreath, simply tie the ends of your ristra together. It can take a few weeks for chiles to completely dry. once they are dry, you can pull them out one at a time to use in recipes or leave up for years as a decoration.
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Chiles are the cornerstone of
many Mexican dishes. One of the most effective and decorative ways to keep these
peppers in your own kitchen is dried into a ristra. Traditionally, ristas are also a sign
of welcome and good luck when hung near the front door.