A.K.A

Thai bird chiles, Asian chiles, Thai chiles

What is it?

Thai and other Asian chiles are slender and thin-walled with a very hot, nutty flavor. Available fresh or dried, fresh are sometimes sold green but are more often lipstick-red. Bird chiles are perfect for all kinds of stir-frying. Drop a couple into a bottle of sherry vinegar to make a hot and sour cooking condiment. The tiny pods are easy to air-dry for year-round use.

Don’t have it?

Try using serranos or other hot chiles.

How to choose:

Choose chiles that are shiny and firm pods with strong, uniform color. They should feel dense and heavy for their size; good examples of even the very smallest ones will feel heavier. Avoid chiles that are flaccid, wrinkled, bruised, blemished, or discolored.

How to prep:

Stem and seed fresh chiles before slicing or mincing. You may want to use gloves when handling hot chiles to keep their oil off your skin. If you by chance rub that oil into your eye it can be quite painful. Dried chiles are often added whole to stir-fries and curries.

How to store:

Dried chiles will keep indefinitely in a cool dry place. Refrigerate fresh chiles in the crisper drawer and they will keep at least a week.

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Recipes

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  Serve the purses as an appetizer, or serve in a folded crêpe with a salad for lunch or a light supper.

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  Recipe

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  When he was 16, Thomas met grilling expert Adam Perry Lang and was inspired: “It was not only about a great piece of meat but how he prepared it before…

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  Want to wow guests at dinner? Make this. It’s wild and wonderful with flavors and textures that get better with every bite.

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  Like other Vietnamese restaurants, Nam Phuong in Atlanta serves pho, but their ribs are the best thing on the menu. The meat is tender with a crackly exterior. Nam Phuong…

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  Spicy Slow-Cooked Short Ribs with Lime & Basil

  Lime marmalade gives a wonderful burst of sweet, citrusy tang to this luxurious braise, which fairly cries out for rice or mashed potatoes as an accompaniment; sautéed chard or baby…