How to use Thai peppers?

[Janet H]

I have a bounty of Thai peppers ( at least I think this is what they are) growing in the garden. They must have been mislabeled in the pots this spring and now I have 4 lovely and prolific bushes of these hot, hot peppers. Any ideas for use?

I don't generally can peppers and aside from drying them, I'm not sure what to do with them... I can use a few fresh (a small handful) but am likely to have buckets of them shortly. Any great ideas?

 

[Dawgluver]

How to use Thai peppers ?

I used to grow Thai hots. Prolific little guys. I'd string them with a needle and thread and make some nice garlands. The peppers dry, and look pretty strung on the mantle or wrapped around grapevine wreaths. You can still use them for cooking.

I've also made Thai hot relish and canned it. You could make the relish and freeze it instead of canning.

DH and a friend of his used to have Thai hot eating contests after a few beers, not sure I'd recommend that

 

[Andy M.]

I buy Thai hot pepper by the plastic covered tray. Way more than I can use. I freeze them and take out what I need for recipes. They're a little waterlogged but still pack heat.

 

[jennyema]

Make hot sauce!

 

[Dawgluver]

How to use Thai peppers ?

I've done that too. Kicks Srirachi's butt! And will blow the top of your head off.

 

[GotGarlic]

Make hot sauce, put it in pretty bottles and give them as Christmas presents.

 

[Janet H]

I've done that too. Kicks Srirachi's butt! And will blow the top of your head off.

Good idea - got a recipe?

 

[Dawgluver]

It's been a few years. I would whirr them up in the blender with a bit of either white or cider vinegar, maybe a pinch of salt and sugar. Keep tasting. Strain if you feel like it.

Then you can bag or bottle, and freeze.

 

[DiverDoug]

You could make a quick Pad Krapao if you had some thai basil. I made some up on the weekend and it tasted better than anything I ever got in a restaurant. It uses a few thai chillies, as it's a dish with a bit of bite to it!

Diver D

 

[Whiskadoodle]

I find it's ok to just grow Thai peppers every other year. At the end of growing season, pull up the whole plant, cut off the roots and hang the whole plant upside down to dry. Pull off all the good peppers (nicest looking-- there's plenty) and store in a quart jar. They maintain their heat for about 2 years. They tend to loose their red color and turn more orange color as time goes on so you can pretty much tell when it's time to grow more.

I ususally use three peppers, enough for my heat tolerance, when making chili (along with chili powder etc) or lentil/bean/pea/soups/ vegetable soup. I don't crush the peppers in the veggie soup, just add like they were bay leaves. If one or all open while cooking, fine, that soup is a little spicier. Otherwise, if they don't open, there is still a little background depth of flavor in the soup. Sort of like shaking in several drops tabasco, enough to define or bring out the flavor of the major ingredients without overpowering a dish. Otherwise, I use like pizza pepper flakes, shake the crushed pepper in as much as you like to make a spicy dish spicier.