Love that exotic spice of Thai food? Spicy Thai seasoning packs all of that flavor in dried form, ready to use when you’re looking for that flavorful kick. You can use it as is as a dry rub for steaks, pork, or shrimp. Or mix it with coconut milk to create a delicious spicy marinade for noodle dishes. Just a dash, too, can warm up your grilled vegetables with a Thai twist.
🌶️ Quick recipe snapshot
| Flavor profile | Hot and citrusy, with lemongrass, lime peel, ginger and garlic, a cool note of mint and coconut, and a little brown sugar. |
| Primary heat source | One tablespoon of ground Thai chili. 50,000 to 100,000 SHU. |
| Heat level | Hot. A little goes a long way, so start with a light sprinkle. |
| Texture | A fine to medium-fine powder, depending on how long you grind it. |
| Best uses | A dry rub for steak, pork or shrimp, a coconut milk marinade, or a dash on grilled vegetables. |
| Customization ideas | Crushed red pepper in place of the Thai chili, less salt, extra lime peel, or no sugar. |
| Before you start | About 10 minutes. You’ll need a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder, plus lemongrass and lime peel powders. |
Flavor notes
The heat source? Thai chili powder, if available. It’s a big heat, so use it sparingly if you’re thinking of doubling down on the chili powder here. If you don’t have Thai chili powder, opt for crushed red pepper. It doesn’t carry quite the spiciness, so use a little more than you would the Thai pepper.
Thai peppers run 50,000 to 100,000 Scoville heat units, and crushed red pepper usually 30,000 to 50,000. So the swap calls for half again as much: 1 1/2 tablespoons of crushed red pepper in place of 1 tablespoon of ground Thai chili. Either way, a spoonful of this blend carries real heat, so go light the first time and add more once you know how hot your batch is.
The rest of the blend is bright and aromatic. Lemongrass and lime peel give it a citrusy edge, ginger and garlic add warmth, and the mint and coconut round it out with a cool, slightly sweet finish. White and black pepper bring a sharper, more pungent heat alongside the chili.
This isn’t a traditional Thai blend. Thai cooking tends to use fresh lemongrass, lime leaves and herbs, often pounded into pastes. This dried version gives you those flavors in a shake-on form, for the nights you don’t want to make a paste from scratch.
Lemongrass powder and lime peel powder are the two you may need to hunt for. Check the spice aisle of a well-stocked grocery store or an Asian market, or order them online. And use unsweetened coconut flakes, since sweetened ones are moist and tend to clump in the mortar instead of grinding down.
A mortar and pestle works, but it takes some effort to get the coconut and mint down to a fine powder. A spice grinder or a clean coffee grinder is faster. Pulse in short bursts, and stop once it looks like a powder. Break up any lumps of brown sugar before you start, too, so you don’t end up with sweet little pockets in the blend.
Adaptation ideas
Most of these adjust the heat, the salt or the citrus.
- Want it milder? Cut the ground Thai chili to 1 or 2 teaspoons, or use crushed red pepper at the same amount for a gentler blend.
- Want more heat? Add another teaspoon or two of ground Thai chili, and taste a pinch before you add more.
- Want less salt? Cut the sea salt to 1 teaspoon, or leave it out and salt your food separately. That’s handy when you’re pairing it with something already salty, like a soy sauce marinade.
- Want more citrus? Add another tablespoon of lime peel powder, or finish the cooked dish with a squeeze of fresh lime.
- Want it without sugar? Leave out the brown sugar for a more savory blend that’s less likely to scorch over a hot grill.
Serving ideas
Use it anywhere you’d use a dry rub or a seasoning salt. Keep in mind it already has salt in it.
- As a dry rub. Start with about 2 teaspoons per pound of steak, pork chops or shrimp, and adjust next time once you know the heat.
- As a marinade. Stir a tablespoon or two into a can of coconut milk with a squeeze of lime, then marinate chicken or shrimp for noodle dishes.
- On vegetables. Toss zucchini, bell peppers or green beans with oil and a dash of the seasoning before grilling or roasting.
- In rice and soups. A pinch stirred into fried rice, a coconut soup or a bowl of plain jasmine rice.
Storage notes
Keep the seasoning in an airtight jar in a cool, dark cupboard, away from the stove. Dried coconut can turn rancid over time, so this blend won’t keep as long as a straight chili powder. Use it within about three months, and give an older batch a sniff before you use it. If it smells stale or off, make a fresh one.
The brown sugar can make the blend clump in the jar. A quick shake or a stir with a fork breaks it up, and using a dry spoon every time helps. If you don’t go through much seasoning, make a half batch so yours is always fresh.
Like this recipe? You’ll love these too:
- Thai Red Curry Paste: A homemade red curry paste for when you want these Thai flavors in fresh form.
- Spicy Thai Peanut Sauce: Creamy coconut milk and peanut butter with a spicy kick, for dipping or tossing with noodles.
- Homemade Chili Lime Seasoning: Another shake-on blend, fiery with a bright lime zing.
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Spicy Thai Seasoning
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons ground ginger
- 2 tablespoons lemongrass powder
- 2 tablespoons lime peel powder
- 2 tablespoons dried mint
- 2 tablespoons dried coconut flakes unsweetened
- 1 tablespoon ground Thai pepper or 1 1/2 tablespoons crushed red pepper
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon ground white pepper
- 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a mortar and grind them with the pestle to a powder, as fine or coarse as you like. A spice grinder works too. If the brown sugar has clumped, break it up first.
- Transfer to a bowl and stir until everything is evenly mixed, then spoon the seasoning into an airtight jar.
