Dried Thai chilli

A small dried red chilli, used whole or toasted and pounded. The heat is similar to a fresh bird's eye chilli. Toast it dry before you pound it. The Maillard reaction on the dried flesh gives a roasted smell that the raw pod does not have. Capsaicin is stable at this heat, so toasting does not reduce the heat. The walls are thin. It goes from roasted to bitter in a few seconds. Stop at dark red. Pound it to flakes, not powder. Flakes give a texture and a slower release in a wet sauce.