Are Thai peppers really that hot?
Jan 03, 2020 · What is a Thai red pepper? Red Thai chile peppers, botanically classified as Capsicum annuum, are mature pods that belong to the Solanaceae or nightshade family. Red Thai chile peppers are often used as a garnish and are used whole or minced to flavor sauces, oils, and pastes. Click to see full answer.
What are Thai Red Peppers used for?
Red Thai chile peppers, botanically classified as Capsicum annuum, are mature pods that belong to the Solanaceae or nightshade family. The name Thai chile is a general descriptor used to encompass many different varieties of peppers commonly used in Thailand that share a similar size, shape, and spice level.
How long do red Thai chile peppers last?
Jul 05, 2013 · Perhaps the most fitting name of the bunch is Thai dragon peppers. These chilies have some fire, they are red when ripened (like dragon’s breath), and their shape (an inch or two in length, thin, and curved) even look like the claws of a dragon. Now that’s a …
What does a Thai chile pepper taste like?
Mar 16, 2021 · Capsicum Annuum. Despite what is commonly believed, there is no single "Thai pepper", though most peppers referred to as Thai are small in size and high in heat or …
Are cayenne peppers and Thai peppers the same?
Your best bet: Cayenne pepper It ranges from 30,000 to 50,000 on the Scoville scale, which makes it at least half the heat of a Thai pepper. But what the cayenne offers is a similar enough taste and a whole lot of flexibility. While it has a decent medium-heat punch, the cayenne's overall flavor is rather subdued.Jul 15, 2015
Are Thai red peppers the same as chili peppers?
Thai peppers are spicy chili peppers with a wide range of heat, and despite common belief, there is no single type of Thai pepper, with at least 79 separate varieties. Learn more about them.Mar 16, 2021
How hot are Thai red peppers?
50,000 to 100,000 heat unitsThe fruit of the Thai pepper plant is indeed hot, hotter than jalapenos or serranos. To really appreciate their fiery flavors, consider their Scoville rating at 50,000 to 100,000 heat units!Jan 13, 2022
What is a substitute for Thai peppers?
Serrano pepper is a good substitute for Thai chili pepper. But you must note that it is slightly spicier and is collected while still green. Soranno pepper is one of the hottest chilies on the market, yet it has a milder flavor. This pepper is popular in the Southwest, but they're also available in other marketplaces.Dec 13, 2021
What does a Thai pepper look like?
Thai prik num is a light green, large pepper that looks like a cross between a blown up prik chi fah and a stretched out pale green bell pepper. It is one of the mild chili peppers being a variation of the banana pepper with a little kick at the back. About the same spice level as the prik chi fah.
What do Thai chili peppers look like?
This chili has a glossy sheen to its skin (mun in Thai means “oily”). They come in red and dark green hues and are perfect for pickling. These are the peppers you'll find served as condiments in vinegar or on their own at any street stand or food court in Thailand.Aug 31, 2016
Are Thai chili peppers hotter than jalapenos?
How hot are Thai peppers? These chilies fall in the range of “pretty darn hot”, which in more scientific terms means around 50,000 to 100,000 Scoville heat units. That's about 23 times the average heat of a jalapeño.Jul 5, 2013
What kind of chili is a Thai chili?
Bird's eye chiliSeveral bird's eye chilis on a shrubSpeciesCapsicum annuumCultivarBird's EyeHeatVery hot3 more rows
Why are my Thai peppers not hot?
Crops of chili peppers not hot may be a combination of improper soil and site situations, variety, or even poor cultivation practices. Chili pepper heat is borne in the membranes surrounding the seeds. If you get healthy fruit, they will have a full interior of the pithy hot membranes and a higher heat range.May 18, 2021
What is the difference between red and green Thai chilies?
In the case of Thai cuisine, green peppers are typically used in green curries, while hotter, mature red peppers are used in red curries. When fresh, they often have a stem still attached and contain loose, edible seeds that are especially spicy.Jul 29, 2021
Many Varieties Fall Into The World of Thai Peppers
Scoville heat units: 50,000 – 100,000 Jalapeño reference point: 6 to 40 times hotterLet’s start with the confusion. There are dozens of varieties o...
How Hot Are Thai Peppers?
These chilies fall in the range of “pretty darn hot”, which in more scientific terms means around 50,000 to 100,000 Scoville heat units. That’s abo...
What Else Are Thai Peppers called?
As mentioned, there are lots of varieties, and to add to the confusion even more, some varieties have multiple names. Probably the most well-known...
How Are Thai Peppers eaten?
These chilies make their way into many Thai and Asian dishes of course, including many spicy soups. You’ll find lots of recipes in Asian and Thai c...
Where Can You Buy Thai Peppers?
Many grocery stores will carry Thai chilies, if not in the fresh produce section, then at least canned in the international sections of the store....
How hot are Thai peppers?
These chilies fall in the range of “pretty darn hot”, which in more scientific terms means around 50,000 to 100,000 Scoville heat units. That’s about 23 times the average heat of a jalapeño. But really they are at the bottom rung of what you’d call the hot peppers.
What else are Thai peppers called?
As mentioned, there are lots of varieties, and to add to the confusion even more, some varieties have multiple names.
How are Thai peppers eaten?
These chilies make their way into many Thai and Asian dishes of course, including many spicy soups. You’ll find lots of recipes in Asian and Thai cookbooks that call for these spicy peppers.
Where can you buy Thai peppers?
Many grocery stores will carry Thai chilies, if not in the fresh produce section, then at least canned in the international sections of the store. Or, via online retailers you can buy the seeds (if you’ve got the gardening bug), the plants, the raw peppers, and all sorts of hot sauces and other products.
How Hot is a Thai Pepper?
Because of the wide variety, Thai peppers typically range from 50,000 to 100,000 Scoville Heat Units. Compare this to a typical jalapeno pepper, which ranges from 2,500 to 8,000 Scoville Heat Units, making the average Thai pepper about 15 times hotter than the average jalapeno.
Cooking with Thai Peppers
Thai peppers are typically ground from fresh pods to add heat to curry pastes to add both spiciness and alluring color to Thai food. Discerning chefs and cooks love them for garnishing hot and spicy dishes with them, and cooking them into all manner of foods.
My Personal Experience
I have grown a few different varieties of Thai pepper in my own home garden and have had great success. They grow very easily and most plants are very productive. You’ll definitely get a good level of heat from them.
See also these Types of Thai Chili Peppers
Got any questions? Feel free to contact me any time. Happy to help! — Mike Hultquist
About Mike
Mike is the author of “ The Spicy Food Lovers’ Cookbook ” and “ The Spicy Dehydrator Cookbook “. He is a chili pepper enthusiast who has run Chili Pepper Madness for many years.
Thai chili peppers
What is it? The term “Thai pepper” is a bit misleading as it evokes the image of one type of pepper. Thai chili peppers actually have at least 79 varieties, with different heat scales.
Types of Thai peppers
There are at least 79 varieties, and most are about 1-2 inches long and very hot. Some popular types include:
How hot are Thai peppers and what is Scoville?
To get a sense of how hot Thai peppers are, let’s take a look at the Scoville Heat Units, which is a measurement of the pungency of chili peppers. On this scale the sweet bell pepper has a score of zero, and the hottest peppers rank more than 1,500,000 Scoville heat units (SHU):
Are Thai peppers good for you?
Thai peppers are rich in various vitamins and minerals, and are also very high in antioxidant carotenoids. They are associated with several health benefits such as pain relief and promoting weight loss.
Ways to use Thai peppers
In Thai cuisine, Thai chili peppers are in different dishes such as curries, noodles, pastas, salads and soups. You can find them in different forms:
Where to buy them?
Different forms of Thai peppers are available at your local Asian grocery stores. Alternatively, you can easily order dried thai peppers , Thai chili powder , Chili Paste , Curry Paste online from Amazon.
How long do Thai peppers last?
Fresh Thai peppers can last for about 1 week in the fridge. Dried Thai peppers can last for a few months. Chili powder and unopened chili paste can last for 2-3 years.
Are Thai Peppers Hot?
The fruit of the Thai pepper plant is indeed hot, hotter than jalapenos or serranos. To really appreciate their fiery flavors, consider their Scoville rating at 50,000 to 100,000 heat units! Like all hot peppers, Thai chili peppers contain capsaicin which is responsible for their tongue tingling heat and can burn skin for up to 12 hours.
About Thai Pepper Plants
Thai chili peppers were introduced into Southeast Asia hundreds of years ago by the Spanish conquistadors. The pepper plant produced a plethora of small, 1-inch (2.5 cm.) fruits. The peppers are green when immature and ripen into a brilliant red color.
How to Grow Thai Peppers
When growing, consider the plants love for heat and humidity and their need for a long growing season of between 100-130 days. If you live in a region with a shorter season, start the chili peppers inside eight weeks prior to the last frost for your area.
Thai Pepper Uses
Of course, these peppers enliven a variety of cuisines as mentioned above. They can be used fresh or dry. Dried pepper wreaths, or other hangings, lend a burst of color to your décor as can a potted Thai pepper plant with its abundant, cheerful red fruit. To dry Thai chili peppers use a dehydrator or an oven on its lowest setting.
Your best bet: Cayenne pepper
No, the cayenne pepper is not as hot. It ranges from 30,000 to 50,000 on the Scoville scale, which makes it at least half the heat of a Thai pepper. But what the cayenne offers is a similar enough taste and a whole lot of flexibility. While it has a decent medium-heat punch, the cayenne’s overall flavor is rather subdued.
A lesser-heat fresh alternative: Serrano pepper
We are dipping a lot farther down the pepper scale to get to your best fresh option. Serrano peppers also provide a medium-kick, but they are at typically half the heat of even the cayenne (10,000 to 23,000 Scoville heat units ). At their hottest, they’d still be four times milder than the hottest Thai chili you’d experience.
Description
The bird's eye chili plant is a perennial with small, tapering fruits, often two or three, at a node. The fruits are very pungent.
Origins
All chilis found around the world today have their origins in Mexico, Central America, and South America. They were spread by Spanish and Portuguese colonists, missionaries, and traders, together with many other now common crops such as maize, tomatoes and pineapples through the Columbian Exchange.
Uses by humans
In Indonesian cuisine, these chilis are widely used in a variety of dishes and sambals.
