I have Vietnamese Multicolor and it has the same size. What I plant to do is air dry and then grind or pickle.

The only "thai" chiles that I have grown were long and skinny. I have saved seeds from the red and think I am growing the golden thai, but hey are still green and look like serranos...

If you pm me, I'll share the seeds.

Try making your own Sriracha sauce, it's surprisingly easy. I've also strung up some thai dragon with fishing line to dry in the window. I may have to bake them on a very low setting before I grind them, just so be sure they are dry. (Seeds and all).

Here is a link that might be useful: Check out PEPPERMEISTER's Homemade Sriracha Recipe: Ode to a Rooster.

hello michelle,
the long thin variety is most often called thai hot, the short stout version u have is most commonly referred to as thai bird or thai birdsye, it is very hard to say considering the fact that there are at least 100 or so varieties that are called thais, I have 4 different thai varities growing now, and I love them all, some I dry and then infuse into peanut oil for asian cooking, some, the thai birds in particular, i pickle in vinegar, eat the pickled peppers and use the vinegar. they are also good dried and powdered, or in a seasoning mix, try mixing some dried powdered thais w/ ground ginger, sesame seed, garlic powder, and ground corriander, it makes a nice all purpose thai seasoning. also dried whole and used for stir frying, so many uses so little time, keep the faith sister, and if u need some seeds for the long skinny thais for next season, shoot me a pm
paul

I've got the tiny ones too, Fedco called them Thai Hot. Used them in hot sauce. Trying to work out a recipe for lemongrass ginger hot pepper jelly using them. First attempt needs more lemongrass and ginger, maybe fewer peppers b/c all i taste is heat.

How do you dry them?

Thanks Paul! All your ideas sound great! I'm not sure what pm means so I don't know how to shoot you one :)

Peppermeister, I will check out the sriracha recipe, I love sriracha.

ajsmama, I'd like to hear your lemongrass ginger hot pepper jelly recipe if you're willing to share, it sounds yummy. I have some lemongrass growing in a large pot. I've heard that with such a small pepper, you can just leave them somewhere with good ventilation and they will dry on their own, but hopefully someone with more expertise will chime in.

I love Thai chiles and used them all the time.

One of the most simple uses is the Hmong dipping/dabbing sauce called "Pepper."
Muddle some peppers in a mortar with salt, pepper, lime juice, green onion, and cilantro.
If you want a more traditional, strong Asian flavor, use a bit of fish sauce.
Then, just dab your meat in this pepper paste and enjoy with rice, too.

Another great dish is called "La." Pre-cook some chicken breast, let it cool 'til firm,
then shred it in a food processor. You don't want wet shredded chicken....you want the meat dry.
Then, add in salt, pepper, mint, lemon grass, cilantro, and Thai chiles to desired heat.
Spoon the La into a cabbage or lettuce leaf and enjoy it like an Asian roll. A dollop of
sweet red chile paste on top is also fantastic.

Josh

pm = private message (email)

I am drying peppers by slicing in half and then laying on a window screen, in the shade, on my deck.

The little ones, like in this photo, I just dried the things whole.

It takes a long time, especially when it's not hot outside, but I don't yet have a food dehydrator.

If i had a bunch of those, i would run them through my kitchen aide grinder, add 1/2 non-iodized salt per gallon and 1/4 cup of kefir. (I'd probably add a bunch of onion, mango, garlic and apple, too). Then i'd put it all in a glass bottle with a fermentation lock. 3 months later, strain it, boil it a nd bottle it. Whammo. Home made fermented pepper sauce. :)