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What kind of chilies are these?


djyee100

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I bought these chiles at the farmers mkt. My conversation with the seller went like this:

"What kind of chiles are these?"

"Medium sweet chiles."

"They're not hot?"

"They're hot."

"Are they Thai chiles?"

"No, but you can use them like Thai chiles."

"How hot are they compared to Thai chiles?"

"They're hotter than jalapenos."

The chiles are yellow, orange, and red, about 1" to 1 1/2" long at most. I always thought any chiles this small were Thai chiles, but I guess not. Can you identify these chiles?

gallery_50011_5244_123764.jpg

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I'm growing them in my garden as we speak, and the little tag says "Thai Dragon".

I grow em every year, they're one of my favorite kinds, they're hardy, hot, flavorful, they dry very well, and the plants are just gorgeous.

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The chiles are yellow, orange, and red, about 1" to 1 1/2" long at most. I always thought any chiles this small were Thai chiles, but I guess not. Can you identify these chiles?

gallery_50011_5244_123764.jpg

They are not Thai chiles -- too wide and not a bit curly. They are c. annuum but it's hard to tell exactly which variey. There are hundreds of varieties in all 5 species. They look like serrano, but it appears from the photo that these pods grow upright rather than pendant. Serranos are pendant.

I would ask Jeannie at chileplants.com or Jim at wildpepper.com.

John S.

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There are so many varieties of peppers! I think trying to identify without more knowledge -- how tall were the plants; what did the flowers look like, etc. make it so difficult.

And, to classify one type of pepper -- be they "Thai" or "Jalapeño" peppers does not do them justice as there are many, many types of both of these peppers.

In any case, use them as appropriate. Be it in a nam prik, on larb, in a salsa, or on nachos, be glad that you have them! Things here in MN are ripening so slowly we're hoping for a ripe tomoto before the first frost. My bachelor buttons have just begun to bloom!

Susan Fahning aka "snowangel"
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These looks like traditional south asian chilies which are varying in color like red and green are the most common. I also planted the green chilies (large and small), these are very hot and spicy and frequently used in various dishes and salads.

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I wonder if they aren't De Arbol chiles from the way the chile is growing upwards, like a tree. They normally are longer and thinner and used dried.

Do they taste good?

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I took John S.'s suggestion, and emailed Jim at http://www.wildpepper.com/ and Janie at http://www.chileplants.com/. Both people graciously answered my emails.

Jim at http://www.wildpepper.com/ said:

"I have at least a couple of guesses, but none are likely to be definitive. Part of the problem with chiles is that there are several thousand kinds and many resemble each other. They could be a Thai chile...Just call them 'bird chiles'- that covers about a thousand kinds ;-) "

But Janie at http://www.chileplants.com/ hit the jackpot. She said:

"Looks like Nepali Orange

http://www.chileplants.com/search.asp?ProductCode=CHINEO "

I think she's right. The chiles look just like that and fit the physical description that's given.

So these are Indian chiles brought to Fiji by migrants! I cooked them in Thai Basil Chicken the other night. The chiles are very tasty, a tad less hot than Thai bird chiles, and more fruity, too. I'd definitely cook with them again. In fact, the next time I visit the farmers mkt I will search out the stand and buy another bunch of these chiles.

This website has pix of the Nepali Orange chile in various stages of growth, with a pic of the plant in full fruit near the bottom of the webpage (next to Sept 14 entry). http://www.chillisgalore.co.uk/pages/growing2006.html

Thanks for your comments and answers, everyone!

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