Chili Pepper 101: Thai Chili

Bottom Line: These little firecrackers pack a nice punch and can kick up any dish that needs some heat.

The Thai chili is an umbrella name for a small, tapering pepper that originates in and around the Thailand area. According to ChiliPepperMadness.com, “there are at least 79 separate varieties of the pepper that have appeared from three species in Thailand, and they grow in green or red”. Wikipedia incorrectly has the Thai chili under the Bird’s Eye chili name (with pictures of actual Thai chilis), but those are a rounder pepper that has similar heat levels.

The Thai Chili comes in between 50,000 and 100,000 Scoville Heat Units, much hotter than the Jalapeno and also besting the Serrano and Cayenne chilis. This and the Bird’s Eye chili were long considered among the hottest peppers until Habaneros started getting more press. Since then, they have been left in the dust by the Ghost Chili, the Scorpion Pepper, the Carolina Reaper and whatever is next from the chili pepper growing mad scientists.

The Thai chili has a very similar taste to the Serrano, just with a higher heat level. It has that berry-like flavor without the sweetness, and if you bite directly into one of these it definitely delivers an explosion of heat. I tend to use these in place of a Serrano if I want to amp up the spice a bit. Maybe two to three Thai chilis in place of one Serrano. Go easy at first, though, because these little firecrackers can definitely pack a punch. Start by adding one, then more if needed.

These chilis are great in salsa if you want to really kick it up. They work particularly well in Pico de Gallo, though make sure you only serve that to those who can handle the heat. They can also add a pop to chili or other sauces. And if you mince up one and add it to a pot of spaghetti sauce, it can really wake that up and take it to the next level. I use these in a spicy Pimento Cheese that I make, and they give it quite a kick (you can find the recipe for that here).

Your local grocery store may be hit or miss on availability, but you can definitely find Thai chilis (or a close cousin) at international markets. If you find them at your regular store, typically they are in small, clear plastic containers. But be sure to check through that, because moldy ones can hide in the middle. Sprouts Farmers Market is another place where I regularly find these (as well as several other chilis pushing the Scoville scale).  Typically I find the green ones in the stores, but it is possible you can come across the red ones (which should be hotter).  You can find them dried as well, usually packaged.

I regularly have Thai chilis in the fridge in case I need to add a good kick to a dish, or just want cut one up and put it on a taco. They are a good intermediary chili if you are working your way from Jalapenos and Serranos to Habaneros and more. And they are quite versatile with many uses and can even be frozen or dried to save for future use.

Read more about the Thai Chili at ChiliPepperMadness.com

Tale of the Tape:
Serving Size: 1 Chili Pepper
Calories: 1
Fat: 0g
Protein: 0.1g
Carbs: 0.3g
Sodium: 0.3mg