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BIRD'S EYE CHILLI / KANTHARI MULAKU |
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Bird's eye chili, bird eye chili, bird's chili or Thai chili is a chili pepper, a variety from the species Capsicum annuum, commonly found in Ethiopia and 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.
All chilis found around the world today have their origins in Mexico, Central America, and South America. They were spread by Spanish and Portuguese colonists, missionaries, and traders, together with many other now common crops such as maize, tomatoes and pineapples. This is now called the Columbian Exchange. The chili varieties found in Southeast Asia today were brought there in the 16th or 17th century.
Bird’s eye chilli is botanically called as Capsicum frutescens, belongs to the family solanaceae and having the diploid chromosome number of 2n=2x=26. It is one among the five cultivated species of the genous solanaceae and closely related to the Capsicum chinenseJacq. It is called by many other synonyms like African pepper, chilli pepper, goat’s pod, Mexican chilli, red pepper, Tabasco pepper, Zanibar pepper and Cayenne pepper. It is native to South America and introduced to India towards 16thcentury by Portuguese. It is widely distributed in all tropical and sub-tropicalcountries and still grows wild today. In India it is grown as a homestead crop and consumed widely across malnad regions of South Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and in north-east India, particularly in the states of Mizoram and Manipur. The north-eastern hill (NEH) region, being one of the hot-spots of biodiversity in the Indian gene centre, is also known for its richness in ethnic diversity and traditional culture. Capsaicin (8-Methyl-N-vanillyl-trans-6-nonenamide) and di-hydro capsaicin (DHC) are major contributors to pungency and form about one-third (69%) of the total capsaicin. whereas non-di-hydro capsaicin (NDC), homo-capsaicin and homo-di-hydro capsaicin are minor capsaicinoid, which also contribute to its pungency. The capsaicin content ranges from 0.26 to 1.21% w/w or 1,00,000-1,50,000 scoville heat units (SHU). Carotenoids control fruit colour. The red colour in fruit comes from carotenoids, capsanthin and capsorubin, while the yellow orange colour is from beta carotene and violaxanthin, Capsanthin, the major carotenoid in ripe fruits, contributes up to 60% of the total carotenoids. Capsanthin and capsorubin increase proportionally with advanced stages of ripeness. Like all other chillies, it is also rich in ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and contains tocopherol (vitamin E), also contains moisture, protein, fat, minerals, fibres and CHO in minute quantity.Most bird’s eye chillies are processed to extract the oleoresin for food and pharmaceutical industries. It is used in the preparation of curry powder, pickle, curry paste and hot sauces etc.The fruit is eaten as raw or in processed form as powder. It is also used for medicinal purposes and in the control of pest and diseases. In medicine, the bird’s eye chilli was traditionally used to curearthritis, rheumatism, dyspepsia, flatulence, toothache and it stimulates appetite.Despite its wide usage, bird’s eye chilli is yet to draw considerable attentions from the farming community.
Reference Sites:
http://www.phytojournal.com/archives/2018/vol7issue3S/PartD/SP-7-3-41-772.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bird%27s_eye_chili
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