Thai Birdseye

Thai Birdseye, also known in Thailand as prik kee noo, is a small, highly pungent chilli widely used in Thai and Southeast Asian cuisine. The name refers to the small red pods resembling a bird’s eye or mouse dropping when mature.

It is most commonly classified as Capsicum annuum, although similar small hot types are sometimes confused with Capsicum frutescens due to overlapping regional forms. “Thai Birdseye” refers to a traditional regional type rather than a single formally documented modern hybrid.

Pods are slender and conical, typically about 2.0 to 3.0 cm long. They ripen from green to bright red. Heat is generally reported between 50000 and 100000 SHU. A working value of 70000 SHU reflects the central range most often cited. Reported figures vary depending on growing conditions and strain selection.

This chilli type originated in the Americas, with Mexico recognised as the native land of Capsicum annuum. It was introduced to Southeast Asia during the 1500s through trade following the Columbian exchange and was rapidly adopted into local agriculture.

In Thailand and neighbouring countries it is used fresh or dried in curries, soups, salads, stir-fries, dipping sauces, and chilli pastes. There is no single standardised cultivar line, and slight variation in heat and fruit size occurs between regions and seed sources.