Thai Chile (Bird's Eye)

Bird's eye chiles deliver Southeast Asia's heat signature: small pods chopped whole (seeds and all — they are too small to clean) into nam prik, som tam, and every stir-fry. The heat is fast, bright, and frontal — a different shape from habanero's slow bloom. Chiles in vinegar (the Thai table jar) tame them into a condiment that seasons without ambushing.