Bird’s eye chilli peppers are frequently used to add spice in Southeast Asian cuisine. These small chillies grow on compact bushes in hot weather climates. Whether raw, dried, or cooked, these potent peppers pack real heat, making them ideal for spicing up dishes or creating fiery sauces.

Bird’s eye chillies are small, thin, and pointy, turning red when mature. They are green when unripe but can still be eaten, and sometimes appear orange or purple depending on their maturity. In Thai cuisine, green peppers are typically used in green curries, while the 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. The peppers can be used whole, sliced, or seeded and diced.

Bird’s eye chilli peppers are extensively used in Thai, Vietnamese, Malaysian, and Indonesian cuisines. Fresh or dried chillies are added to salads, stir-fries, curries, sauces, sambals, soups, and marinades. The stems are removed, and the chillies can be left whole, sliced, diced, chopped, or pureed. The seeds are particularly spicy and can be removed for less intense heat.

It’s advisable to wear gloves when working with these chillies, especially if you wear contact lenses. Capsaicin, the chemical in the pepper that makes it hot, can remain on your fingers for several hours and can cause a painful sting if you touch your face, particularly the eye area. To prevent unnecessary discomfort, wear gloves and thoroughly clean the knife, surfaces, and any utensils the cut chillies came into contact with before handling.

Highly recommended for beginners!