Dried Whole Chilli Peppers ('prik haeng' in Thai) are integral to Thai cooking. Fully ripened spur chilies, or 'prik chee fah' (literally translated as chili pointing at the sky, because of the way they grow) are either sun-dried or smoked (smoking results in darker colored chilies).
Pound in a mortar and pestle to make homemade curry paste. Dry roast whole chilies and add to rice dishes and Kanom Jeen (Thai Spaghetti).
Dried chilies may be deseeded, to decrease the heat, by cutting off the end at the stem crosswise, and then rolling the pod to loosen the seeds and then shaking the seeds out. In dishes calling for whole fresh chilies, when not available, substitute dried whole chilies soaked in hot water for several minutes.
Store dried chilies in a tightly sealed glass container for up to one year.
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