The chiles › Thai bird's eye
C. annuum
Thai bird's eye
hotFresh
50,000-100,000 SHU
Origin
Southeast Asia; a pillar of its cuisine.
Uses
A pillar of Thai curries, of som tam (green papaya salad), of wok stir-fries and of nam prik dipping sauces. Used fresh, whole or pounded, and also dried.
About this chile
Tiny but fierce: its minute size hides a heat that takes no prisoners. In Thai it is known as "prik kee nu", which translates roughly as "mouse-dropping chilli", on account of how small it is. It is one of the pillars of Southeast Asian cooking, where it is used generously in curries, stir-fries and sauces.