How to Make a Ristra

A ristra is a string of dried chili peppers commonly seen in the Southwest. Some people believe that a chili ristra will bring a household good luck. Follow the steps below to make your own decorative chili ristra for your home.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• One bushel of fresh chili peppers
• 5-foot lengths of cotton string
• Coat hanger or bailing twine

1. Wrap the cotton string around the stems of three chill peppers. Hold the pepper stems close together with your fingers. Bring the string between two of the peppers. Make a loop and put it around the stems. This is called a half hitch knot. Pull the string tightly.
2. Make chili clusters in groups of three with the same string. Start a new cluster every 3 inches on the string.
3. Start a new string with chili clusters when the first string becomes too awkward or heavy. You can use several 5-foot lengths of string, each with grouped with chili clusters spaced about 3 inches apart. Continue until you've used all of the chili peppers in the bushel.
4. Find a place you want to hang the ristra. Hang the wire on a nail and make a loop with the other end of the wire. This prevents the chilis from falling.
5. Braid the chili strings around the wire. This is similar to braiding hair. The wire is one strand and use two strings of chillis for the other two. Arrange the chilis on the wire until you fill any empty spaces.
6. Decorate the ristra with a bow or corn husks.
7. Hang the ristra outside in the sun until it is dry.
8. Place the new decorative ristra on your front door, porch patio or in the kitchen.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't use green chilis as they aren't mature.
• Don't spray the ristra with any lacquer, as this will make it inedible.
• Don't use any peppers with bad color spots.