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Wednesday, July 28, 2021

Trader Joe's Crispy Thai Chilies & Sesame Seeds


 In October 2006, Arizona Cardinals head coach Dennis Green, after a particularly frustrating loss, unleashed one legendary postgame tirade with a phrase that I still think of often: "They ARE who we THOUGHT they WERE!" 

Sometimes, yup, it's just really that simple. 

But there's also the old, always applicable adage that appearances can be deceiving. If you're paying any sort of attention to the world around you, you likely know this is unassailable truth. 

And with Trader Joe's Crispy Thai Chilies & Sesame Seeds, we get a little bit of both at the same time.



Let's get coach to cool off by going his way first. Thai chili peppers and spices. Vibrant, flaming red. Overly aromatic. It's got that crispy, slightly greasy yet dry feel. Even the seeds help the whole spicy vibe, even though it's important to note they're sesame and not pepper seeds. Nonetheless, there's the undeniable impression before even one taste: this peppery snack is gonna be flamelickingly hot. And yup, it is as we thought it is: hot hot hot. lots of heat, towards the upper limit of my tolerance for easy consumption. I'm not sure of the Scovilles but it's up there. Even with that, there is a little flavor nuance with some garlic and whatnot, but oh yeah: hot. 

So there's that. But there's also the word "snack" as a descriptor, and truth be told, it doesn't look like much of a "snack." The peppers are really no more than little papery wisps without much of anything behind them, leaving the girth of the snack to the little clumps of sesame seeds. Kinda like bird food (not a recommended usage btw). Yet, after a few bites, that's how the chilies and seeds kinda come together, with a little sense of fullness behind them. Maybe it's a little of the heat, or the peppers getting some rehydrated while consumed, or some other sorcery, but it's a legit snack, albeit perhaps a lighter one.


There's other applications I could see. I'd love to mix some peppers and seeds up with some tempura chicken or sdauteed shrimp and serve with rice, or even just over some fried rice. Maybe a salad or some eggs too. I think it could work. Snack and condiment - why not?

Good stuff, and not a bad buy from the impulse islands near the checkout. I think a sack was only like $2 so if this sounds like your kinda thing, I'd give it a go and not just let it off the hook. 

Bottom line: Trader Joe's Crispy Thai Chilies & Sesame Seeds: 7.5 out of 10 Golden Spoons

6 comments:

  1. Birds are not affected by capsaicin.

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  2. I would use this for pho topping. I can see this being applied for asian dishes. Stir fries for sure. Salads for sure.

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  3. When I first opened these, I too thought they were too whispy and insubstantial. But after a certain point, they came together for me too...and I was addicted! I must buy more! I too had the thought they would be good in or on something, but if I only ever eat them straight from the bag, I won't be unhappy.

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  4. I love this as a quick snack , a couple really does it for me - satisfies the craving.
    I've put these on sushi, and even just plain white rice (YOU KNOW the extra the chinese place gives ya?) YUM

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  5. 2/10. Awful, pointless, nasty. Would not buy again. Needs some sweetness, some substance, some...something??? It's not even remotely snack-like. (And for the record, I love spicy stuff--I grow scotch bonnets, habs, and ghost peppers in my garden.)

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