Drop it like it's hot

Most foodies love spicy food even though it might make them teary eyed. Here is some of the spiciest food you might love indulging in

Most foodies take the saying ‘live life with a little spice’ a little too seriously. Waiting for a hot and spicy plate of food, taking a small bite and then fanning your mouth, adds to the unique dining experience.

It probably makes sense because we, as Indians, can’t digest our food if there isn’t enough ‘masala’ in it. Thanks to the country we live in and our love for spice, we can indulge in the hot substance in various forms — from different types of chillies to peppers.

Here is a list of some foods that can bring tears of joy to your eyes.

Rasam
The humble South Indian rasam is mostly known for its tangy flavour, but there are versions of this soup that have an added spice factor. When you have a cold, some hot and spicy rasam made with lots of chilli
and pepper is the best medicine.

Pickles
We can claim ourselves to be the ‘pickle capital’ of the world. There are probably very few ingredients in this universe that we haven’t turned into a pickle. While mango and lime pickle are the popular ones, there are plenty of others we love indulging in. Chilli, carrot, gooseberry, fish, beef, chicken, shrimp — you name it and we have it.

Vindaloo
The speciality of a vindaloo is the dried red chilli peppers. Goans and Konkanis love their share of this curry. Pork vindaloo is the most famous dish in this category, although there are those who make the chicken and lamb version of it too. You can have it in a slider, rice or even with bread.

Kerala fish curry
The traditional ‘meen curry’ is every Malayali’s favourite. A bit of rice, the spicy fish curry in a ‘meen chatti’ (the claypot used to make the curry), some ‘mooru’ and a vegetable stir-fry is just heaven on a plate for the spice lovers. Oh, let’s not forget the ‘papadam’.

Kimchi
The Korean staple is basically salted and fermented vegetables. Unlike other spicy food we have been talking about, this one gets its spice from ginger and garlic. The tangy flavour that leaves a spicy after-taste is akin to that of a pickle. Chefs have been experimenting by adding the kimchi to fried rice, buns, soups and so on.

Wings
This appetiser can leave one spoilt for choice with the huge number of variations it offers. From buffalo wings to chicken ones, these are the perfect accompaniments to a chilled drink. Chefs use sriracha sauce, chilli garlic, schezwan sauce, jalapeno and ghost chilli to give it the fiery effect.

Phaal curry
This British-Asian curry is considered the spiciest curry in the world. The main ingredients used in this are chilli pepper (mostly habanero peppers), tomatoes and ginger. It has been said that this dish has left many diners crying, fainting and even hallucinating. This is the ultimate spice test challenge that you might want to think a number of times before taking on.

Health factor

Studies say that people who consume spicy food on a regular basis have a much lower incidence of heart attacks. Having said that, it depends on your body’s tolerance for spice and how well you can handle it. Like always, anything of too much is harmful to your health. Don’t over-indulge and balance the spice intake with liquids to cool your body. Seasons also have an important role to play in this. You may be able to consume more spicy food during winters but it’s best to keep your body cool during summer.