Often mistaken for bird’s eye chili pepper, the cultivar siling
labuyo is a species of capsicum fructescens in the capsicum genus. The name
“siling labuyo” in Filipino means wild chili although at present this plant is
widely cultivated because of its culinary importance in some Philippine dishes.
The frail looking but fast growing plant probably got its name because it usually
grows wildly almost anywhere in soil near a house.
Siling labuyo is a small plant that grows only at about a
meter in height and has acuminate leaves and small star shaped white flowers. Its
tiny and slightly tapered fruit is about 2-2.5 cm in length and turns red when
ripe. The plant’s peculiarity is that the fruits are usually on the stalks upside down
unlike any other fruits.
The “wild” chili was once listed as the hottest chili pepper
in the Guinness Book of World Records. But now, it is only ranked in the middle
in the list of hottest chilis in the Scoville Heat Scale. The heat of siling
labuyo is measured in the range of 50,000-100,000 which is below that of the
bird’s eye chili pepper at 100,000-225,000 range. The hottest chili in the
Scoville list is the Carolina Reaper which is measured in the range of
1,600,000-2,200,000 heat units.
A bite of the tiny chili will cause intense burning feeling
and irritation. However, it is its hotness that makes this chili a highly
sought after food commodity. For some people, the hotter it is the better. The
native chili is an indispensable ingredient in some of the cuisines of Maranao,
Visayan and Bicolano tribes. In the Visayas and Mindanao regions, a raw fish
dish called “kinilaw” is not complete without siling labuyo in it. Siling
labuyo is also used to spice up canned or bottled sardines and commercially
sold vinegar. It is also added in a condiment or dip for broiled pork or fish and
roasted meat for a spicy hot meal. Moreover, Siling labuyo leaves are great for
a stewed chicken dish called “tinola.”
“Boodle fight” is a kind of informal dinner in the Philippines
that originated from the military. It is a sort of a buffet style meal where
diners by the table partake on foods with their bare hands. This type of
informally serving foods has found its way outside the military, so that some
civilians adapted it in gatherings where foods are served. In a military
“boodle fight” foods such as boiled rice, canned sardines, fried dried fish,
broiled pork and pancit are laid on the table without utensils. Handful of Siling
labuyo is deliberately inserted in the cooked rice. During the meal those who
have the misfortune of putting and chewing the chili in his mouth would suddenly
feel the burning sensation caused by the chili. However, such discomfort is
only temporary since it will be gone after a few seconds, and then the partaker’s
urge to eat returns to normal.
Aside from its culinary uses siling labuyo is also used in
herbal medicine. Consuming it stimulates mucous flow from sinus cavity clearing
nasal congestion, and because of it, the chili is used to treat cough and
stuffed nose during cold and fever. It is
also said to lower cholesterol and fight inflammation. Crushed fruits are used
to help clean wound to avoid infection. Mixed with oil and massaged on joints
affected by gout and rheumatism, they help ease pain and inflammation.
