Thai Bird Peppers should not be confused with African Bird's Eye Chiles, which are smaller and grown primarily in Africa and India. Chile peppers have been a key flavoring ingredient in Thailand for the better part of the last 500 years. While chiles are not native to this region, they are indispensable to their cooking and are deeply entrenched in their culture. These Capsicum annuum, are closely related to cayenne chiles.
 
Add to broths, coconut soups, curry, noodle dishes, salads, sauces and stir fries. Make condiments and salsas ahead of time so that the flavors have enough time to marry. Mix with salt and sugar to create a complement to any fresh fruit. A perfect light marinade for chicken or fish is made by combining Thai chiles with fish sauce, lime juice and sugar.