If you are a fan of spice in your food, then you’ve probably heard of Thai chilis. These are some of the hottest chilis that you can add to your food, registering around 50,000 to 100,000 units on the Scoville scale.
This is great for adding to your curry to inject it with a bit of heat. However, what if you want something a little lower on the scale? Or maybe you just don’t have access to any Thai chilis. Are there any substitutes that you can use?
Well, there are plenty of replacements that you can use for your Thai chilis, including cayenne peppers, bird’s eye chilis, and jalapenos. But how do they compare to the Thai chilis? Well, we’re going to give you a rundown of some of the best Thai chili alternatives.
Best Substitutes For Thai Chilis
Serrano Peppers (6.1g)
Calories: 2
Total Fat: 0g
Saturated Fat: 0g
Trans Fat: 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g
Monounsaturated Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 0.6mg
Total Carbohydrates: 0.4g
Dietary Fiber: 0.2g
Sugars: 0.2g
Protein: 0.1g
Substitution ratio: 2:1
Habanero Peppers (45g)
Calories: 18
Total Fat: 0.2g
Saturated Fat: 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g
Monounsaturated Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 4.1mg
Total Carbohydrates: 4g
Dietary Fiber: 0.7g
Sugars: 2.4g
Protein: 0.8g
Substitution ratio: 2:1
Jalapeno Pepper (14g)
Calories: 4.1
Total Fat: 0.1g
Saturated Fat: 0g
Trans Fat: 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g
Monounsaturated Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 0.4mg
Total Carbohydrates: 0.9g
Dietary Fiber: 0.4g
Sugars: 0.6g
Protein: 0.1g
Bird’s Eye Chili (3g)
Calories: 1.2
Total Fat: 0g
Saturated Fat: 0g
Trans Fat: 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g
Monounsaturated Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 0.3mg
Total Carbohydrates: 0.3g
Dietary Fiber: 0.1g
Sugars: 0.2g
Protein: 0.1g
Substitute ratio: 3:1
Cayenne Peppers (1.8g)
Calories: 5.7
Total Fat: 0.3g
Saturated Fat: 0.1g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g
Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 0.5mg
Total Carbohydrates: 1g
Dietary Fiber: 0.5g
Sugars: 0.2g
Protein: 0.2g
Substitution ratio: 2:1
Thai Chili Nutrional Value (3g)
Calories: 1.2
Total Fat: 0g
Saturated Fat: 0g
Trans Fat: 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g
Monounsaturated Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 0.3mg
Total Carbohydrates: 0.3g
Dietary Fiber: 0.1g
Sugars: 0.2g
Protein: 0.1g
What Does Thai Chili Taste Like?
These peppers are so hot that you’ll need to be very careful when you are dicing them. We would suggest that you use rubber gloves when you are preparing them.
You can use these peppers fresh if you want that extra fiery texture or you can pickle them if you want to lessen the spicier elements.
If you are looking out for Thai chili peppers in the store, then they are distinguished by small green or red peppers that are usually cooked into Thai cuisine.
If you are eating Pad Thai, then you might be aware that Thai chilis are used as one of the main ingredients. These are extremely hot and register around 50,000 to 100,000 units on the Scoville scale, so make sure that you are ready for that mouth-blasting taste.
You can pick up Thai chilis in most Asian food markets. However, if you want peppers that are really good quality, then we would recommend that you find some online and have them delivered to your house.
But what if Thai chilis are eluding you? Where can you find a suitable replacement? Well, here are several other peppers and powders that taste very similar to Thai chilis that you can use in your next curry or stir fry. So, what are you waiting for? Let’s get stuck in.
Best Thai Chili Substitutes
1. Serrano Peppers
This first chili is one that is frequently used as an alternative to Thai chilis, as they have a similar shape, texture, and heat level as Thai chilis. Serrano peppers are slightly less spicy than Thai chilis, which is great if you just want to take the edge off your dish.
These peppers have a bolder flavor than the Thai chilis, being much more aromatic too. You’ll notice more of a subtle taste with Serrano chilis, which will change the overall flavor of your meal.
These peppers register in the range of 5,000 to 15,000 Scoville units, meaning that they are much less hot than Thai chilis, although they are much hotter than other peppers such as jalapeños.
2. Habanero Peppers
If you enjoy your spices but you also like a little fruity flavor, then we would recommend that you swap out your Thai chilis for Habanero peppers. Habanero peppers will blow the roof of your mouth off, as they register around 100,000 to 350,000 on the Scoville scale.
These are small and yellow peppers, which are very easy to dice, although once again you should handle them with care as they are extremely hot and will burn your eyes and hands.
3. Jalapeño Peppers
This is a very popular pepper that you can find as the topping on pizza or one of the primary ingredients in a pasta dish. But how does it compare to the very spicy Thai chili?
Well, a jalapeño is nowhere near as spicy or hot as the Thai chili, as it registers somewhere between 2,000 and 8,000 on the Scoville scale. If you prefer your curries to be mild with that little kick, then we would recommend using the jalapeño.
4. Bird’s Eye Chilis
Bird’s Eye chilis are also a popular substitution in a lot of curry and pasta dishes. They are very sharp in flavor and are fiery, registering at around 225,000 on the Scoville scale, which is extremely spicy. So, make sure that you can handle them before ingesting them.
These are vivid red peppers that are mainly available in Asian food markets or online. They are green when they are unripe, so you could buy them at this stage, which will give you longer to store them in your kitchen cupboard.
5. Cayenne Peppers
Finally, we have another very popular spice that you can purchase in many different flavors. These peppers rate around 50,000 to 80,000 on the Scoville scale, making them similar in heat to Thai chili.
They are also quite sweet, which is great if you want a more complex flavor in your final curry. If you scoop them out before cooking them, you can reduce the heat considerably.
Popular Recipes That Call For Thai Chilis
Thai-Style Watermelon Salad
This salad is made with a myriad of herbs and spices, which makes for a great summer centerpiece. You can serve this as a main or a side dish.
Coconut Curry Chicken
These are hciekn thighs that are drizzled in sumptuous creamy coconut sauce with some extra spice from Thai chilis.
Conclusion
Thai chilis are not always easy to find and might be too rich and hot for some people’s palate, however, hopefully, some of these alternatives have given you plenty of inspiration.
