The Bird’s Eye Chilli or Capsicum annuum is one of the most commonly found chillies in the world. The name remains somewhat of a mystery, as the appearance of the chilli is similar to a birds beak, not a birds eye (unless the bird in question was reared in Chernobyl).
What does it taste like? How spicy is it?
The Bird’s Eye Chilli are a perennial fruit (meaning they grown all year round), measuring around 4-6cm in length and are most commonly used when green or red. They have a fruity, peppery taste and pack a pretty powerful punch, measuring between 50k-100k on the Scoville scale, with the African version considerably hotter, reaching up to 175k.
When the The Bird’s Eye Chilli are green on the vine they tend to be sour and bitter, great for providing a contrast in your dishes. The red version is hotter with more pronounced fruity overtones. These chilies are popular all over the world, but are particularly common in Indian, Vietnamese, Indonesian and Malaysian dishes. They are also omnipresent in many parts of Southern Africa and form the base of the famous Peri-Peri dishes.
Where do they come from?
As with all chilies their origins lie in Central and South America (principally Mexico). They were then spread all over the globe by Spanish and Portuguese explorers. The Portuguese were obviously the better salesmen and they spread their botanical seed far and wide throughout their (then) colonies. This is most noticeable in Africa (hello Peri-Peri) and the South of India (hello Vindaloo). They cottoned on to the value of chilies due to their similarity to black pepper which was a highly valued commodity at the time. They also realised the ease with which they grow in tropical Africa and South East Asia which provided the ideal growing conditions of fertile land, high humidity and clement temperatures. The Portuguese certainly left their mark and the unstoppable march of these piquant peppers began from the early 15th century.
Health benefits of Bird Eye Chillies
If you’re already a vociferous bird’s eye chilli consumer, then you can rest assured you’re enjoying a whole host of benefits that chili peppers can provide. These include regulating your metabolism, banishing migraines, clearing a blocked nose and reducing joint inflammation. And of course spicing up your dishes.
Fun fact – the African Bird’s Eye chilli grows with the fruit pointing upwards, while its Asian brother’s fruit grows pointing down.
If you like sauces that pack a punch, why not try the Original Habanero or Ghost con Mango hot sauces from TheSauceMan,