This is also a rather dry or very thick kind of chili dish. Any kind of chilies (preferably fresh) can be used. Other kinds of edible beetles or wasps or bees can be used instead of the maengda. Because of the pungent odor of the maengda, garlic should be left out. (Siriphon Prongkham, personal communication, June 21, 2007; Sumali Thabun, personal communication, June 27, 2007)