Red Thai chili vary in size and shape, depending on the specific variety, and are generally small, conical, and slender, tapering to a point on the non-stem end. The pods range in length from 2 to 7 centimeters, and the skin is smooth, taut, and waxy, ripening from green to bright red when mature. Underneath the surface, the flesh is thin, crisp, and pale red, encasing a central cavity filled with small, round, and flat cream-colored seeds. Red Thai chili have a fruity, subtly earthy flavor with a pungent heat that slowly builds and then lingers on the palate.

Red Thai chilis are best suited for both raw and cooked applications such as sautéing, stir-frying, and boiling. The fresh chili can be sliced and tossed into salads, minced into marinades and dressing, or blended into pastes, sauces, and dips. Red Thai chilis are also incorporated into soups such as tom kha, curries, stir-fries, and cooked meats such as pla rad prik, which is a fried fish drizzled in chili sauce. In addition to food-based dishes, Red Thai chili can be stirred into spicy cocktails or dried and ground into a powder for use as a spice. Red Thai chili pair well with coconut milk, lime juice, garlic, onions, shallots, peanuts, herbs such as cilantro, mint, and Thai basil, bell peppers, yuzu, eggplant, potatoes, and meats such as fish, poultry, pork, and beef. The fresh peppers will keep up to two weeks when stored whole and unwashed in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator.

Red Chili is available year-round.