How to grow & use Thai chilli pepper - Recipes & growing advice

Key Facts

Very Hot & Fruity pepper
Ideal for southeast Asian recipes & curries.
Takes about 6 months to grow
Available from Amazon

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.

There are 2 ways to grow it at home:

Method 1 – 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.