Bird’s Eye Chilli or commonly referred to as the Malaga or Malagueta pepper. A spicy bright red chilli between 3 and 7cm long. . Widely grown throughout Africa in courtiers like Ethiopia, Angola and Mozambique. Also commonly grown in Brazil, the Caribbean, and Portugal.
The Scoville rating for Bird’s Eye peppers is between 50 000 and 100 000 Scoville units. They are slightly warmer then the Red Cayenne Pepper.
The plants prefer warmer conditions where temperatures reach between 15 and 30 °C. They don’t tolerate frost very well.
Difficulty: Easy
Soil: Peppers prefer rich, well composted, loamy soil with good drainage.
Sowing: Spring/Summer
Germination: 14-21 days
Days to maturity: 90-100 days
Position: Full sun
Spacing: 50×50 cm
Sow Depth: 5 mm
Height: 50-80 cm
Watering: Once or twice a week is a good start and allow the water to drain thoroughly. However, water needs can vary depending on weather conditions and growth stage. Water more frequently during warmer times. Do not overwater pepper plants.
Growing Notes:
There are various ways to germinate seeds. You can use the moist paper towel method, germinate in trays indoors or sow directly in pots. However, it is a good idea to start seeds indoors in small pots or germination trays. Keep the medium moist during germination and if you can maintain a warm consistent temperature it will be beneficial. You can soak seeds for about 2 hours to soften the seeds. It is common to soak seeds in a weak Hydrogen peroxide or weak chamomile tea solution. Do not sow seeds too deep. Be patient as some hotter varieties can take weeks to germinate. After seeds sprout and a few leaves have formed, you can start to transplant and move outdoors when temperatures become warmer. Peppers love rich soil, so adding compost to the garden or potting mix is highly recommended.
Uses:
Bird’s Eye chillies are used in many traditional dishes in Mozambique and Portugal. Often used in poultry dishes, sauces, stews and soups. The Bird’s Eye chilli is used in many Asian cuisines. Specifically Thai, Vietnamese, Malaysian and Indonesian dishes. Chillies are used fresh or dried. Common dishes include stir fries, curries, salads and marinades.
Origin:
Bird’s Eye chillies originate from Mexico, Central and South America. Like many other crops, chillies were spread by Spanish and Portuguese colonists, traders and missionaries. Now found all over the world. It explains why this variety is so commonly grown in Mozambique, which used to be a Portuguese colony.
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