Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan’s warmer valleys support cultivation of peppers, primarily Capsicum annuum types such as sweet bells, long red cayenne-like chilies, Hungarian wax, and Central Asian long green “perets” similar to Turkish and Uzbek varieties. These are sold fresh and dried in bazaars.

Chilies are used in lagman (noodle stew), shorpo (meat soup), and kebab marinades, often combined with garlic, cumin, and coriander. Long green chilies are sometimes grilled or fried and served as sides, while red chilies are dried and ground into powders for year-round use.

Korean diaspora communities in Kyrgyzstan use local red chilies as substitutes for Korean gochugaru in kimchi and salads. While no internationally famous Kyrgyz chili cultivar exists, local long red and green annuum strains are key to the region’s meat- and noodle-heavy cuisine.