Azerbaijan

In Azerbaijan, peppers are widely grown in the Kura-Aras lowlands and other warm regions, with farmers cultivating both sweet bell peppers and hot local chilies akin to Turkish and Iranian long red and green varieties. Specific named landraces are less globally known, but cayenne-like and medium-hot annuum types dominate.

Production feeds local bazaars and home preserving. In cuisine, hot peppers appear in traditional dishes such as kharcho-style soups, vegetable stews, and kebab marinades, where chopped green chilies are mixed with herbs like cilantro and tarragon.

Fresh hot peppers and “adjika”-style pastes (shared with the Caucasus region) accompany lamb kebabs, pilafs, and grilled fish. Peppers are pickled whole or sliced, then served as mezze with cheese and bread. Many households sun-dry red chilies and grind them with garlic and herbs into pastes used through winter. While there is no large export-focused chili industry, peppers are integral to domestic agriculture and cooking.