Are you afraid of Spicy Food?

I like spicy food, as long as the heat compliments the flavor. Like you, I don't look at hot spices and peppers as a test of manhood. If all I get is heat, without good flavor, I consider eating it a waste of time.

CD
 
There is certainly an issue of conditioning involved - those who never or rarely eat spicy food (native French and Italians for example) are often unable to handle even medium strength curry in my experience and would no doubt find that the chilli eclipsed any other flavours.

Having eaten in Indian restaurants here since I was a teen, I'm well used to spicy food and will try anything, however hot. Sometimes it is more chilli tasting than anything else bit that isn't necessarily a bad thing. I rather like having my mouth on fire. Chilli has a natural high which can produce euphoria!
 
I like a good bit of heat, but not so much that it's the only thing. Here, Asian restaurants usually let you pick your heat level, with 1 being no heat, and 10 being head-exploding heat, and I usually go for a 7.

The hottest thing I ever ate was at a flea market/antique festival thing, somewhere in the UK, at a booth of this Indian family selling chutneys.

They had maybe 20 samples set out, and I was going down the line, trying them, and I got to one and put a big dollop on a cracker, and everyone in the family started waving their hands and shouting, "No! No! No! That's too much! Too hot!"

I was already committed to getting it down my neck, so I didn't heed any of that, and as soon as it hit me, I swear, I went blind for a few seconds, like a flash of light and then I couldn't see, and I fell down right there like I'd been knocked out. I almost peed my pants, I couldn't talk, I couldn't breathe, I was dizzy, my wife had to help me to a bench to sit down, and one of the kids from the family brought me a small cup of milk and explained that was the hottest one they'd had and you're supposed to have only a little bit, and I'd had about a tablespoon.

My stomach was upset for the rest of day. We had to leave and go home, my wife had to drive, and I couldn't eat anything until the next day.
 
Back in the day the chef from Veeraswamy taught me that true spiced Indian food is based on balancing the "heat" to the main ingredient. He said if a restaurant menu said a Chicken dish was mild, medium or hot leave. I use Chicken as an example.
My dead brother bought Pat Chapman's Curry Club out of receivership and relaunched it. Get his book on batch cooking which most UK Indian restaurants use. The clue is how in ten minutes do you get a meat dish like mutton or lamb to the table? When the same true traditional dish by Madhur Jaffey takes 2 hrs. Veeraswamy | UK's Oldest Indian Restaurant | Regent Street | London | Home
 
I do love spicy food (hot chilli taste) but I agree with the original post that it should not be overpowered you should have the taste of the food balanced with spices.
That said, I grow the hottest peppers (California Reapers, Bhut Jolokia etc..) in my garden and planning to make some super hot sauces this season.
 
Hungry Man said:
I do love spicy food (hot chilli taste) but I agree with the original post that it should not be overpowered you should have the taste of the food balanced with spices.
That said, I grow the hottest peppers (California Reapers, Bhut Jolokia etc..) in my garden and planning to make some super hot sauces this season.
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I've heard of Carolina Reaper, but not California Reaper. I have a pure Carolina Reaper chili powder, which is used quite sparingly as well as Ghost chilis (Bhut Jolokia). The friutiest chili pepper I've ever used is the habanero. I love this salsa:

Recipe - Xni Pec Salsa
 
CraigC said:
I've heard of Carolina Reaper, but not California Reaper. I have a pure Carolina Reaper chili powder, which is used quite sparingly as well as Ghost chilis (Bhut Jolokia). The friutiest chili pepper I've ever used is the habanero. I love this salsa:

Recipe - Xni Pec Salsa
Click to expand...

yes, it was a typo, I meant Carolina Reaper. :)
 
Hungry Man said:
Yes, and I wonder how food in Europe tasted like before discovery of America and spice routes :)
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Before the spice trade we in Europe had onions through the romans, and lots of salt, green herbs (rosemary, thyme, parsley, oregano, basil, mint, chives), juniper berries, honey and lemon to add to dishes. Also smoked dishes were pretty common.
 
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