Bird's eye chili | |
---|---|
Species | Capsicum annuum[1] |
Cultivar | Bird's Eye |
Heat | Very hot |
Scoville scale | 50,000 - 100,000 SHU |
Bird's eye chili or Thai chili (Thai: พริกขี้หนู, romanized: prik ki nu, lit. ''mouse-dropping chili'' owing to its shape) is a chili pepper variety from the species Capsicum annuum that is native to Mexico. Cultivated across Southeast Asia, it is used extensively in many Asian cuisines. It may be mistaken for a similar-looking chili derived from the species Capsicum frutescens, the cultivar siling labuyo. Capsicum frutescens fruits are generally smaller and characteristically point upwards. In the Marianas and Guam these are often called boonie peppers or Doni Sali, which can be term for regional wild (technically feral) varieties. The variation between different varieties can be significant for regional dishes or visuals, such as the Thai ornamental varieties.