Description
Red After Glow Space Chilli, also known as Hangjiao HJ10 After Glow, is an unusual Chinese chilli with a fascinating connection to space exploration. Developed within China's space-breeding tradition, this distinctive Capsicum annuum variety combines a pleasantly sweet, peppery flavour with gentle chilli heat and an extraordinary story.
Why are they called Space Chillies?
During the 1980s, Chinese scientists began sending agricultural seeds into space aboard recoverable satellites. The idea was to expose seeds to the unusual conditions of space, including cosmic radiation and microgravity, which can produce genetic variations.
Once returned to Earth, the seeds were planted and the resulting plants studied over successive generations. Researchers selected promising characteristics such as larger fruits, improved yields and greater resistance to environmental stresses.
This research became known as space breeding, leading to the development of numerous experimental crop varieties. The Hangjiao Space Chilli collection, including HJ10 After Glow, is associated with this remarkable chapter in agricultural science.
While their name might suggest otherwise, the chillies in your kitchen haven't travelled into space themselves. They are grown here on Earth, with the Space Chilli name reflecting their unusual breeding heritage.
Flavour and Heat
Red After Glow produces long, slender, Cayenne-like chillies that ripen from green to a rich red colour. The dried pods retain a pleasant sweetness, balanced by gentle earthy notes and a familiar red chilli flavour.
Unlike many hotter Cayenne varieties, After Glow is appreciated for its mild to moderate warmth, allowing the natural sweetness and savoury pepper character to shine through.
With an estimated heat of approximately 5,000–10,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU), these chillies are suitable for everyday cooking without overwhelming a dish.
Whole dried After Glow chillies are excellent for stir-fries, Chinese-style sauces, noodle dishes, chilli oils, soups and marinades. They can be gently toasted, crushed into recipes or rehydrated before blending into homemade sauces.
Grown in China
Heat Level: Level 1 – approximately 5,000–10,000 SHU.
Flavour: Sweet, gently earthy and peppery, with mild to moderate warming chilli heat.
Variety Origin: China – Hangjiao Space Chilli series.
Species: Capsicum annuum.
Pack Size: 30g – approximately 10–15 whole dried chilli pods, averaging 2–3g each. Individual pod weights and quantities vary naturally.
