Thai chilli pepper
Key Facts
- Ideal for southeast Asian recipes & curries.
- Very Hot & Fruity
- Takes about 6 months to grow
- Thai chilli pepper seeds are available from Amazon
Grow at home as an ingredient ?
It can be quite tricky to grow but well worth it – growing advice below.
Background
Thai chilli pepper (Also know as Bird’s eye chili, bird eye chili orbird’s chili)
- Originally from Mexico but brought to South East Asia in the 60th or 17th century.
- Hot & Fruity
- Ideal for Thai & Vietnamese recipes – curries, stir-fries, sauces & salads.
- Days from seed to harvest – about 150 (6 months)
- About 60 to 70 cm high
Example Thai chili pepper recipes
Thai chili pepper is the ideal pepper for southeast Asian recipes, will add lots of heat to curries, sauces and fish.
Typical recipes:
- Hot Thai Chicken
- Keralan chicken curry
- Peri Peri Sauce
How to grow Thai chilli pepper at home
Thai chilli pepper can be grown from seed at home.
How to grow Thai chilli pepper outdoors (garden, balcony, etc.)
The peppers prefer direct sunlight, well drained soil and need to be frost free.
If you want to grow them outdoors then the best option is to start them indoors about 8 to 12 weeks before the last frost and then transfer them when the nights are warmer.
If growing outdoors then sow from mid February to mid June. The temperature, moisture, and air circulation all play a role in growing plants from seeds. Too little heat, too much moisture, and lack of air circulation will cause poor results.
Do not use jiffy peat pots, plugs, or potting soil as the soil becomes too dry or too wet, which can lead to low germination, disease and fungus. Fill small cells or trays with a good sterile seed compost and sow the seeds on the surface. “Just cover” with a fine sprinkling (3mm) of soil or vermiculite. Keep the compost moist – don’t let the top of the compost dry out (a common cause of germination failure)
They can be grown easily from seed but it’s very important to provide the right amount of moisture and to thin them out as they grow.
Fully grown they can be upto 60 to 70 cm in height i.e. an individual pot might be the best option.
How to grow Thai chilli pepper indoors (hydroponics or aquaponics)
Because of the importance of moisture and light the peppers are ideally suited for hydroponics with additional lights.
Not only are they easier to grow, but you will also get fast results.
Our product rating
We rated the 6 very hot pepper types on the best variety to grow for cooking at home.
Thai Chilli Pepper
Summary
Great for Thai & Vietnamese recipes – curries, stir-fries, sauces & salads. However it can be quite tricky to grow and some shops do sell ready made fresh Thai chilli. Looks great though and we’ve found it fun to grow.
Thai chilli pepper seeds are available from Amazon
Nice pepper to grow with a lovely flavour