Bird's eye chili,
bird eye chili,
bird's chili or
Thai chili is a
chili pepper, a
cultivar from the species
Capsicum annuum, commonly found in Southeast Asia. It is often confused with a similar-looking chili derived from the species
Capsicum frutescens, the cultivar "
siling labuyo". Bird's eye chili can also be found in
India, particularly in Meghalaya, Assam, and Kerala. It is used in traditional dishes of the
Kerala cuisine. This cultivar is also found in rural areas of Sri Lanka, where it is used as a substitute for green chilis. It is also a main ingredient in
kochchi sambal, a salad made using freshly scraped coconut ground with bird's eye chilis and seasoned with salt and lime juice. It is used extensively in Thai, Lao, Khmer, Indonesian, and Vietnamese cuisine.