Cili padi / Bird's eye chilli

20:57

Who
Capsicum annuum
Also know as:
Bird's eye chili / Cili padi / Thai chili / Cili kampung


What:
A small tree with small, tapering fruits with one to three at a node. The fruits are pungent and spicy. Measuring aroung 100,000 to 225,000 Scoville unit. The plant could grow up to 2 m, with white blossom and fruit of green, orange or red colors. However there are some cultivar with rainbow colored chilis.

Where:
  • Native to Mexico, Central America and South America. They were brought to Southeast Asia by Spanish and Portuguese colonist and traders.
  • In the farm, we plant nearly 100 under durian trees in a round shape to protect the trees from elephant. 

Why:
  • Although the spiciness is their defend against eaten, that is the reason it was eaten! In Southeast, it is use widely in dishes, sauces, condiments or raw. 
  • It is also used as ornamental as the colors look striking again the green foliage.
  • It has anti bacterial quality which could help to clean wounds and fight the risk of infection in India.
How:
Health

Tips
  • For boil (bisul) or wound, take a few chili leaves, washed and mashed. Paste the paste on wound.
  • Above mention method also applicable for swollen, joint problem, muscle problem. Paste the paste on the problem area. Another method, warm the leaves with fire/on stove and paste on aching joint/muscle.
  • For diarrhea and high blood pressure, washed the root of the plant, boiled until bubble over. Drain in sieve, drink warm.
  • For ulcer, washed and boiled 2 cups of water with one cili padi until reduce to half. Once cooled, use the water to gargle. Repeat as needed.


Recipes
Ayam masak lemak cili padi (Chicken in spicy coconut milk gravy)
Chili steak
Fried rice
Spicy prawn

Busy mom recipe(less than 30 minutes)

Sambal kicap / Soy sauce with cili padi

15 cili padi
4 garlic, bake/dry fry with the skin on
3/4 cup soy sauce (salty)
Sugar to taste

Blend the soy sauce, cili padi with peeled garlic, boiled until fragrant. Add sugar to taste.

P.s. This sambal or sauce is delicious with baked or fry seafood such as clams or fish, as condiments for sour fruit, put some on your porridge or plain broth. We Johorian loves our fried bananas fritter with sambal kicap, while other eat it red sauce.

(Available for RM5 per container. Text/Whatsapp Kate at 014-9174124)

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