Chilies (phrik) : Essential Ingredients pad thai

Essential Ingredients pad thai

Chilies (phrik)

The small and slender shaped bird chili localled phrik khi nu is widely used in Thai cuisine, and becomes known internationally as Thai chili. Cut-up rounds of phrik khi nu in fish sauce is a must-have condiment at Thai dining table. Phrik khi nu are frery hot, especially the strain which is smallest and known as phrik khi nu suan or phrik kariang. Fresh Thai chilies can be red or green in color. Another common chili veriety in Thai cooking is phrik chi fa which is larger but not as hot as Thai chilies. 

Chilies (phrik) : Essential Ingredients pad thai

They are usually around two inches long, and can be found in red, green, and even orange colors. Though frequently used as a garnish to add color to a dish, the heat of phrik chi fa can not be underestimated, variable heats depending on different local strains.

Both phrik khi nu and phrik chi fa also come sun-dried to give a different flavor dimension They can be pan-roasted, then ground and tossed into salad, soups, sauces and curry paste, to render a fragrant aroma and roasted flavor. The ground dried chilies add both flavor and heat to the dish, and this can vary depending on how nouch heat one can bear. That is why at noodle shops in Thailand, a jar of ground dried chilies always sits right on the table for you to fix your own liking. Moreover, it is an important flavor ingredients in pad thai and salad recipe as spicy minced pork salad(lap mu). One can easily prepare ground dried chilies by pan-roasting dried red phrik khi nu, and then finely grinf them. Packaged ground dried chilies from Thailand are available, but mistakenly labeled as chili powder which is a dried pulverized chilies with addition of other spices.