Christmas Island

Christmas Island, an Australian territory in the Indian Ocean, has a small population and little commercial agriculture; any hot peppers are grown in household or community gardens rather than as a formal crop. Residents—many of Chinese, Malay, and European heritage—tend chilies such as bird’s eye chili (similar to Thai prik khee nu), long green cayenne-type chilies, and common varieties like jalapeño, depending on seed access.

These are used in curries, stir-fries, and sambal-style chili pastes influenced by Southeast Asian cuisines, as well as in simple soy-chili dipping sauces for seafood. There is no distinct local chili landrace or export industry; peppers are mostly for in-island consumption, seasoning rice dishes, noodles, grilled fish, and barbecued meats. Imported dried chilies and commercial sauces supplement what is grown locally, reflecting the island’s reliance on shipped foodstuffs.