Armenia

In Armenia, growers cultivate both sweet peppers and hot types like local red chili strains used for biber salçası–style pepper pastes; these are annuum and chinense relatives comparable in heat to cayenne and medium-hot Balkan chilies.

Named international varieties (like jalapeño, cayenne, and various hybrid hot peppers) also appear in commercial seed catalogs. A key product is Armenian red pepper paste, made by sun-drying or slowly cooking large red peppers plus some hot chilies into a thick, brick-red condiment used year-round in soups, pilafs, and stews.

Fresh hot and sweet peppers are roasted, peeled, then marinated in oil and garlic or pickled whole; these often rely on local long red varieties with moderate heat. Chopped chilies season khorovats (barbecue), bean dishes, and egg plates. As Armenia’s restaurant scene grows, chefs incorporate both local chili strains and imported types like jalapeño and habanero into modern fusion dishes.