Bird Chiles

Bird chiles are used widely in Thai and Lao cooking, and are often called Thai hot chiles or, erroneously, Tabasco chiles. These small pointed chiles are very hot. They are sometimes sold dried, but are more and more available fresh, sold in small clear plastic packages. Unlike the other chiles listed here, these (and Tabasco peppers) are from a perennial species of chile plant called Capsicum frutescens.