Think twice before biting in if you see these whole on your plate. These peppers are often mixed with hot oil for use in a stir-fry or used to heat up coconut soups and noodle dishes. For recipes, first rinse the pods then soak in hot water for 10 minutes to re-hydrate or add directly to recipe that will cook at least 10 minutes. Handle with care, chili pepper can be a skin and eye irritant.