Red Thai Chilies ~ Phrik Khii Nuu

This past week I had a huge crush on Red Thai Chilies.

I refused to settle for the dried pathetic looking vacuum sealed peppers found on some forgotten shelf somewhere between the Asian and Hispanic section.
I wanted fresh, vibrantly red chilies, stems still attached and smelling of a sweet water and dirt cocktail.

To be honest I really did not think it was going to happen. After about 5 days of searching it seemed like I would have to settle for green instead of the valuable red chili.
The color of these peppers is merely an indication of their ripeness. The green being the ones picked immaturely and the red being the ripest of all. Varying from green directly to red, for this strand of chili their heat is proportionate to the color, the pale green having almost no heat at all.

Their correct name is the Bird’s Eye Chili or Phrik Khii Nuu, literally translating to “mouse shit chili”. I can see why we settled for Thai Chili.

After striking out at every farmer’s market and fresh produce provider in town I decided to follow a friend’s tip. A local Thai restaurant in the area was pleased to help me in my search and surprised that I didn’t settle for the dried peppers.

I was greeted with smiles upon learning of my quest for the red peppers, almost as if to say “thank you for not being a dumbass and for knowing what’s good.”

So let it be a lesson that when looking for something considered ethnic or exotic, go straight to the experts. They’ll understand your frustration, and if approached correctly they’ll see it as a point of honor to lend a hand.

Recipes:

Vodka Chili Paste

½ lb Red Thai Chilies
2tbsp Rice Vinegar
3/4 c Good Vodka
1/4 c Fresh Peeled Garlic
Salt to taste

Rinse and remove stems from chilies. Place in a food processor along with the garlic and turn on medium speed. Add the rice vinegar and slowly add the vodka until you reach desired consistency (drink the rest, you’ll need it after you taste this.) Add salt to taste. Allow for the paste to marinate for at least a day. The Vodka makes the heat from the chili last twice as long, so use with caution.



Cinnamon Picked Chilies

1/2 lb Red Thai Chilies
2 c Rice Vinegar
2 tbsp Kosher Salt
½ tsp Peppercorn
2 sticks Cinnamon

Gently force stem less chilies into sterile jar. In non-reactive pot place rice vinegar, salt, peppercorns and cinnamon sticks. Bring to a boil stirring to dissolve salt. (I strongly recommend not sticking your nose in the pot, you’ll wish you hadn’t… Don’t make me say I told you so!)
Remove cinnamon sticks from liquid and place in the jar along side chilies. Cover the jar with the hot liquid (all may not fit), tighten lid and refrigerate for at least 7 days before using.

Red Chili Panna Cotta

1 Tbsp Unflavored Red Chili Paste or to taste
2 c Half and Half
1 c Heavy Cream
½ c Sugar
1 Vanilla Bean
2 tsp Unflavored Gelatin

Place handful of chilies in food processor and turn on medium speed. Add a few touches of water till you create a paste like substance and set aside. Dissolve gelatin into ¼ c half and half.
Scrape the vanilla bean into a pot along with the rest of ingredients and the chili paste. Stir mixture and taste for desired spiciness. Heat till sugar is dissolved, allow to cool. Add the gelatin mixture and incorporate well. Divide into serving dishes and refrigerate till firm.