Your Guide to Asian Chillies: From Mild Heat to Fiery Flavour

When it comes to cooking authentic Asian food, chilli isn’t just about heat — it’s about flavour, aroma, and personality. From the sharp bite of Thai bird's eye chillies to the warm smokiness of gochugaru, different chillies play different roles in your favourite dishes.

Let’s break down some of the most popular types and how to use them.

1. Thai Bird’s Eye Chillies (Prik Kee Noo)

These tiny chillies pack a serious punch. Used in Thai cuisine for curries, stir-fries, and nam prik dipping sauces, they deliver fast, clean heat that lingers.

Best in: Green curry, pad kra pao, som tum
Form available: Fresh, frozen, dried
Heat: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
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2. Dried Chillies

Common across Thai and Chinese cooking, dried red chillies are used whole or blended into pastes. Toasting them releases a deep, smoky aroma — essential for dishes like nam prik pao or Sichuan-style stir-fries.

Best in: Chilli oil, pad prik, red curry
Form available: Whole dried, crushed
Heat: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
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3. Chilli Pastes & Oils

Ready-to-use and packed with depth. Thai chilli paste (nam prik pao) is sweet, savoury and smoky. Chinese chilli oil is rich and fragrant with Sichuan peppercorns. Sambal from Indonesia and Malaysia adds a tangy, garlicky burn.

Best in: Stir-fries, rice bowls, soups
Heat: 🌶️🌶️ to 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
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4. Korean Gochugaru

These coarse chilli flakes are fruity, smoky, and mildly spicy — the backbone of Korean kimchi and stews. Less aggressive than Thai chillies, they add a rich warmth without overpowering.

Best in: Kimchi, tteokbokki, soups
Heat: 🌶️🌶️
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Choosing the Right Chilli for Your Kitchen

• Want fast, intense heat? → Go Thai
• Want depth and balance? → Go with pastes or oils
• Want subtle warmth? → Try gochugaru

Spice Up Your Pantry

Discover our full range of Asian chillies, pastes, and oils — handpicked for home cooks and spice lovers.

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