Searching for Thai Peppers

[Kamya]

I was wondering if anyone can tell me where I can go to buy some fresh Thai peppers? I am wanting to cook myself some Thai food but of course cannot do it without the peppers. Please help!!! I live on Kadena so any place close by would be great! Thanks

[okiprince07]

Go to thailand...i heard they have the best thai peppers...

[Kamya]

Yeah your right! I will just take a flight to Thailand after Christmas. I really don't know why I never thought of that myself! Thanks:o

[Asshat]

What type of pepper are you looking for? Thailand grows many varieties. Many of those varieties can be found right here. I used the red chilis from the commisary for red Thai curries, and the green for green. I augment for "heat" with locally grown peppers. Different names, but they are small and red-look like birdseye, but have a variety of names. Very hot.

Since you are making your own stuff, I have an abundance of Thai shrimp paste I can sell you cheap. It came from Malaysia, but it's about the same.

[okisteve]

I'd like to find a non-commissary source for fresh green chillie peppers. I do a lot of Indian cooking, and they are good in Mexican also.

[Asshat]

I'd like to find a non-commissary source for fresh green chillie peppers. I do a lot of Indian cooking, and they are good in Mexican also.

Grow your own. We had a pretty decent crop of poblanos earlier. Grown on the balcony in pots.

[okisteve]

Grow your own. We had a pretty decent crop of poblanos earlier. Grown on the balcony in pots.

Save your seeds (and stems) for me, OK?

[smhersweetie]

I haven't found any Thai peppers anywhere either. But when I do I'm gonna buy a whole years worth of the thai peppers and freeze them!! I will let you know if I find it. It's hard to find Thai stuff around here...had to have my stuff sent from the states.

I would have to agree with one of the above post about growing the peppers. The pepper plants tend to die fast on me, because not sure how to take care of pepper plants. But, that would be closes to the thai peppers I would say.

[okisteve]

Here's another Impossible Dream:

I love pickled herring. I ate it once at a restaurant in Naha, so I assumed they made it themselves and I could just stroll into a fish market and find "nisshin". Well, no such luck. It comes from the north, it comes from Hokkaido, it only is available in winter. Lots of reasons, but no fish.

I bet it's available in jars at the commissary, right?

[smhersweetie]

Yes...I think there's the pickled peppers in jars, but it doesn't taste the same. And if your looking for the peppers that burn ur a-hole..those aren't gonna work.

[Asshat]

Save your seeds (and stems) for me, OK?

All peppers are very easy to grow here. There is of course a big difference between Thai peppers and Mexican chillies.

Note that all Thai peppers were imported originally from India- the Thais did not have a spicey diet until then.

The peppers used in Thai cooking are called "Prik ki nu" and are the exact same thing grown here-wild in some places, and are the same pepper as "boonie peppers" (Guam) or "Birdseye." (US) These are the ones sitting in the bottom of the murin bottle on oba-chan's table.

[okisteve]

Assuming the ones that have been pickled won't have viable seeds, you can buy the dried birdseye peppers in any supermarket, about 200 yen for a small but deadly packet. Usually in the spice corner.

But Umin - what about the green chilis? They give a different taste to the dish - have you ever seen them fresh here?

[Asshat]

Assuming the ones that have been pickled won't have viable seeds, you can buy the dried birdseye peppers in any supermarket, about 200 yen for a small but deadly packet. Usually in the spice corner.

But Umin - what about the green chilis? They give a different taste to the dish - have you ever seen them fresh here?

Sometimes Makemans has them. There are of course many varieties of green. If you're doing Mexican, you'll want poblano I assume. For that, I'd simply order the seeds. Cheap to procure and ship, hearty in the mail, and easy to grow.

For my Mexican dishes, I use dried chilies from the commisary-which I assume you don't have access to? I reconstitute with broths usually, add a bit of something else (garlic etc) to flavor and use that in any recipie that calls for weak-ass CHILI POWDER. :D

Note to all: A real chef never uses chili powder for anything but soba or ramen.

Just remembered, I do use the "green" chilis in the can from the commisary at the very end of the cook off. No spice, but an almost cumin flavor to them.

[okisteve]

I do lots of Indian cooking, my favorite, and also now every time my wife invites her friends over it's what they expect! The Indian recipes that call for green chilis don't specify any kind, but in the states I'd usually buy the ones that are medium-hot, about 2 inches long and 1/2" diameter.

I'll look in Makeman next time I go.
It's not really crucial for the recipes - red peppers work fine, except for the green relishes obviously.

I love Mexican food and would do more of it if I had a regular source of tortillas. Tried to make them once from masa and failed miserably. Once in a while a kind soul gets me some from the commissary that I freeze but they don't last forever in the freezer either.

[Asshat]

I do lots of Indian cooking, my favorite, and also now every time my wife invites her friends over it's what they expect! The Indian recipes that call for green chilis don't specify any kind, but in the states I'd usually buy the ones that are medium-hot, about 2 inches long and 1/2" diameter.

I'll look in Makeman next time I go.
It's not really crucial for the recipes - red peppers work fine, except for the green relishes obviously.

I love Mexican food and would do more of it if I had a regular source of tortillas. Tried to make them once from masa and failed miserably. Once in a while a kind soul gets me some from the commissary that I freeze but they don't last forever in the freezer either.

We have to get together sometime! I had a mediocre hand at tortillas....ended up making chips out of them, but they worked great in the chili!

We also do alot of Indian cooking. We made some prata yesterday with some Chicken curry. We find that the differences between Thai, Malay, Indoneasian and Indian cooking are miniscule.

I also have a lot of ingredients you might be interested in. One of your major challenges is getting the chilis here of course, since Japanese do not as a rule enjoy "karaii" like others.

Having said that, I will be peddling a homebrew chili across the street from a well known jinja to assist with celebrating the new year. Parking at San-A Futenma 100Y per hour. Stop by, ask for me, and I'll treat you and yours to a bowl and a beer.

[watzitoou]

I do lots of Indian cooking, my favorite, and also now every time my wife invites her friends over it's what they expect! The Indian recipes that call for green chilis don't specify any kind, but in the states I'd usually buy the ones that are medium-hot, about 2 inches long and 1/2" diameter.

Have you tried:

http://www.kaimonokun.com/Search.php?user_id=105&divSearch1=all

http://www.nanak.jp/index.html - my friend said they have a store or they can tell you were to buy the chili's.


For mail order try these:
http://www.ambikajapan.com/

http://www.indojin.com/shop-online/catalog/default.php?language=en
Free delivery to Okinawa if you spend more than 6000 yen.

For thai chili's have you tried a Co-op market? I used to buy bags of chili's in Naha and freeze them. I haven't been to that store in naha since my husband deployed...

[revolt]

I was told they sell thai peppers somewhere in Naha. I'm not too sure, my thai friend told me that, then again she was kinda tipsy too.

[Sex Wax]

I have some thai peppers right now, but the little habenero I just tried blows them out of the water. This little homegrown habenero was about the size of a small cherry tomato. I sliced it into razor thin strips, then cut those in half. I ate one tiny piece, a tiny sliver about the size of a pinky nail clipping, and it melted my mustache and beard to my face. My teeth are now smoldering embers surrounding the volcanic lava that used to be my toungue.

They rock !!!!!!

Now I just gotta find a use for them......................

[Crazysix]

I have some thai peppers right now, but the little habenero I just tried blows them out of the water. This little homegrown habenero was about the size of a small cherry tomato. I sliced it into razor thin strips, then cut those in half. I ate one tiny piece, a tiny sliver about the size of a pinky nail clipping, and it melted my mustache and beard to my face. My teeth are now smoldering embers surrounding the volcanic lava that used to be my toungue.

They rock !!!!!!

Now I just gotta find a use for them......................

hook a brotha up

[Sex Wax]

hook a brotha up

Duuuude. I'm not even sure these things are legal. You may have to register them with the United Nations as some type of vegetable thermonuclear weapon. I have about 10 of them, and to be honest, you would only need like 4. They would last you until you are reduced to a pile of superheated bio sludge. But if you want a few, come on by and get them.

[Sex Wax]

My bud also gave me a few of his homegrown thai peppers to try, but I have to wait until my toungue grows back. I'll ask him where he got the seeds. He said that peppers grow good here.

[abonifi1]

The bar Boon's on 58 (across the street from Camp Butler Gate) has 2 local thai girls working there and a thai resteraunt around the corner. They can probably direct you where to find them.

[CPOCPO]

yeah, I would inquire at the Thai places around town.. try the one back in there behind Gate 2 area.. he seems to have good fresh vegtables when I go there..

[Jazz]

I just got some Habanero seeds from my Mom sent out. Planted them a week ago and their already starting to grow.

SW, take those super hot ones and mix them with mild peppers and various sweet ingredients (onion, tomato, garlic, cilantro, lime) for a kick-ass salsa. That's what I plan to do. Maybe even add some mangos or pineapple..

Edit: My Mom had a habanero salsa when i went home at Christmas that was super spicy, but at the same time sweet and delicious.

[Richard Burns]

Nice recipie thanx Ryu.

How bout melting in some velveeta cheese with that?

[Jazz]

Nice recipie thanx Ryu.

How bout melting in some velveeta cheese with that?

Sure if you want to ruin it :) Seriously I know where you're going and there's a time and place for velveeta melted with salsa and a fresh recipe like this does not compute that way. I mean it could but not in my head.

BTW, not really a recipe that I posted but in a way it was cause I usually guesstimate amounts. I will say though you throw those ingredients (all of them fresh) together with some salt and pepper though and you got a salsa that's hard to beat.

[Richard Burns]

^ thanks for the warning Ryu. Sounds good.

Different one was where I took velveeta cheese, dried chile peppers and ground beef.

I love fresh salsa too butalways wondered if cheese works with it or not and I guess not so thanks for the heads up.

[Jazz]

Hey someone else may tell you different or just try it for yourself. I've mixed melted velveta with like store bought salsa. It's just with a fresh salsa like this you want the flavors of all the fresh ingredients. Maybe if you were gonna do something like that you may try mixing a little of this $20/lb habanero jack cheese I was just looking at w/ it but I still don't think it would be necessary.

The ground beef mix you mentioned sounds good though.

[Richard Burns]

Man I'm gonna make that fresh salsa this weekend it looks like a good recipie.

[Jazz]

Cool man, enjoy. Take the seeds out of the tomatoes so it's not too watery and everything else is mostly by taste and how spicy, salty, citrusy, flavorful you prefer it. Usually no more than 1 lime worth of juice even if a pretty big batch. And good luck getting Cilantro, not sure if you can at all in town but you can use corriander, although not exactly the same.

[Sex Wax]

Man I'm gonna make that fresh salsa this weekend it looks like a good recipie.

Throw some of these habeneros I got here into the mix....it will make for an interesting dip. You could call it: "Burn's Volcanic Salsa".

It would make your colon a straight pipe to hell.

[Richard Burns]

like habaneros.

[CountZeroX]

The bar Boon's on 58 (across the street from Camp Butler Gate) has 2 local thai girls working there and a thai resteraunt around the corner. They can probably direct you where to find them.

What are "local" Thai girls. Each of them is a spouse of active duty military personnel.

[Jazz]

What are "local" Thai girls. Each of them is a spouse of active duty military personnel.

Or a spouse of a local Japanese man, or here on a tourist visa working, or a spouse of a civilian gaijin with a "permanent" business here. These would be considered locals don't you think?

There is a bigger number of people living here from various parts of the world than people realize. A lot of times they look asian and speak decent Japanese so it's hard to tell.

Some of them may even know where you could get some Thai peppers.

Edit: Plus the post quite clearly showed what he meant by "local Thai girls" in this line - "2 local thai girls working there and a thai resteraunt around the corner."

I'm just bored, maybe you know them and they're married to military, lol..don't mind me.

[CountZeroX]

Or a spouse of a local Japanese man, or here on a tourist visa working, or a spouse of a civilian gaijin with a "permanent" business here. These would be considered locals don't you think?

There is a bigger number of people living here from various parts of the world than people realize. A lot of times they look asian and speak decent Japanese so it's hard to tell.

Some of them may even know where you could get some Thai peppers.

Edit: Plus the post quite clearly showed what he meant by "local Thai girls" in this line - "2 local thai girls working there and a thai resteraunt around the corner."

I'm just bored, maybe you know them and they're married to military, lol..don't mind me.

I guess everyone here is a "local" at the moment.

I know both. One is my wife. The other has been in Japan...both mainland and here for quite a long time... I think she said about 16 years total. She got married to active duty Air Force back in February or March. We've been here 18 months, transferring from Washington, DC.

My wife hasn't really found a good spot to get fresh chilis on a regular basis that are cheap. She mostly gets dried ones by the bag.

[vvloc]

The best are at, the Indian Restaurant, mentioned, elsewhere within this topic.


I guess everyone here is a "local" at the moment.

I know both. One is my wife. The other has been in Japan...both mainland and here for quite a long time... I think she said about 16 years total. She got married to active duty Air Force back in February or March. We've been here 18 months, transferring from Washington, DC.

My wife hasn't really found a good spot to get fresh chilis on a regular basis that are cheap. She mostly gets dried ones by the bag.

[Sex Wax]

Sweet...I just made my own Habanero Spice. I used those 9 habaneros and couple of Thai peppers, 2 cloves of Garlic and some Okinawa Sea Salt. I took the habaneros and garlic, sliced them real thin, put them on a cookie sheet and cooked them in the oven at 120C, left them oven door cracked for air circulation, for a little over an hour. After they were dry, I put the pieces into a food processor with the chunky Okinawa sea salt, and chopped it all up.

I got a little shaker to put it in to use at the Chili cook-off at the Garage the week after next. I made a label for the shaker, heres what it looks looks like:

http://www.japanupdate.com/forum/photoplog/images/1265/large/1_the_heat.jpg

now my tongue is swollen and on fire from tasting it too much.

[Sex Wax]

Waiting for my bud to bring over some more Habaneros and Thai Peppers for a new batch of The Heat.

[Richard Burns]

Sweet...I just made my own Habanero Spice. I used those 9 habaneros and couple of Thai peppers, 2 cloves of Garlic and some Okinawa Sea Salt. I took the habaneros and garlic, sliced them real thin, put them on a cookie sheet and cooked them in the oven at 120C, left them oven door cracked for air circulation, for a little over an hour. After they were dry, I put the pieces into a food processor with the chunky Okinawa sea salt, and chopped it all up.

I got a little shaker to put it in to use at the Chili cook-off at the Garage the week after next. I made a label for the shaker, heres what it looks looks like:

http://www.japanupdate.com/forum/photoplog/images/1265/large/1_the_heat.jpg

now my tongue is swollen and on fire from tasting it too much.

Just looking at the label I know that sauce must me a treat. I suggest you erase this though so if it's a hit you can mass produce it. You'll strike it rich off this stuff.:)

[Jrocka83]

Waiting for my bud to bring over some more Habaneros and Thai Peppers for a new batch of The Heat.

I would like a sample of The Heat.

[Jazz]

watshimo hoshii yo

[Sex Wax]

Just looking at the label I know that sauce must me a treat. I suggest you erase this though so if it's a hit you can mass produce it. You'll strike it rich off this stuff.:)

It's not a sauce, it's a spice. It's similar to the crushed red pepper spice you get at Pizza Hut, but more awesome.