Chillies

Of all the spicy flavors used in Thai cooking, by far the most popular comes from the smallest of the chilli family, prik kee noo. Literally translated, means 'mouse shit chillies.' You will see them on racks and pots in the street, drying under the fierce heat of the sun.

Their intensity can be enough to reduce you to tears and reaching for a cool drink, hence the reason why the chilli pepper is king in Thai cooking. Not originally from the kingdom, the Thai people quickly adopted the spice and use it to give their food it's well known taste. Used in almost every dish, from simple vegetarian to gourmet, it literally defines food in Thailand.

They can be used either fresh or dried, worth remembering is the fact that the smaller the chilli, the hotter will be! Prik Kee Noo Suan, smaller than one baht coin is the hottest, but the larger orange Prik leuang or green Prik Chee Fah can be welcome relief.


In Thailand, dinner tables are set not with salt and pepper condiments but instead with tiny chillies cut up and swimming in a dish of fish sauce (prik nahm bplah).
I have found over the years you can become addicted to these little critters, I crave more and more of them with every meal.

Its an interesting fact that while nutritional value has to be considered, the main theory is sweat. Spices stimulate sweating and via evaporation, it causes an increase in cooling the body down in hot climates.

The next time someone asks you what you are sprinkling over your food, you won't be wrong by answering "mouse shit".