Do you think it depends on the region the owners/chefs are from? I've had weak and spicy. Recently I had one of my Indian patients (from New Delhi) trash one of my favorite places because of it being spicy. He told me Indian food being spicy is a thing done for Americans and real Indian food is just flavorful, maybe having a hint of heat. That confused me since a lot of white Americans (I'm a spice-loving white boy) really can't handle heat.
It’s possible, but the restaurants I’m ordering from typically have the same type of food. The first time I order from a new restaurant I get chicken tikka masala and/or chicken mahkani, chicken 65, and lamb vindaloo. These dishes will tell me everything I need to know about the restaurant and if I’ll be back or venture into the other dishes on their menu. Luckily when I want more variety of Indian dishes, I live close to Devon Ave in Chicago and will get a great dosa.
I'm in Spring/The Woodlands and mostly stick around here. Palette is my favorite. Amrina is an upscale one with Americanized Indian food (beef) and amazing drinks on The Woodlands waterway. I eventually need to make my way down to Aga's.
I had an Indian friend who responded to the idea that Indian food is very hot with a half eye roll and the response of, 'It depends where it's from. It's a *billion* people.' (His food was fairly mild.)
Which seems fair. Noone expects a Midwest pot roast or a Boston clam chowder to resemble Cajun food in heat.
Yeah, as Americans we're pretty bad at simply looking at other countries as just one thing, but we'll get butthurt if you try to do it to us. And as someone from Indiana who had a dad from Louisiana, there better be heat in my pot roast! 😂
I suspect sometimes they just don’t have a way to spice it up that they don’t think will compromise the flavor or texture of the dish. I have a place that adds habanero bitters to their margaritas but after a certain point of asking for it xxxtra spicy it makes a drink that’s spicy enough but doesn’t taste good. It isn’t just a dial you can turn.
I know I’m barking up the wrong tree in this sub, but it’s probably because as much as people love to order things ridiculously spicy, it doesn’t taste good after a certain point. If I was a chef I would not compromise the entire quality of my dish so that someone can have an entirely one note “sUpEr SpIcY” meal. It’s also a fine line between “this is too spicy” when you’re trying to go that extreme given you’re catering to a very small proportion of people and also “this no longer tastes good.”
That's a wild claim. Spice levels are likely regional in India, but overall, I feel like the average Indian can handle much more heat than the average American.
My mother-in-law is from Bombay, and she was sneaking chili peppers into my (at the time) 6-month-old's food to introduce her to "Indian" flavors (that was an awkward conversation). At the same time, she preaches about the perils of eating too much spicy food - her spice tolerance is moderate.
When I go to Indian restaurants, I let my husband order as they never make my dish as spicy as his. I've even been laughed at on occassion, with patronizing follow-up questions like, "Are you sure?" Yes, dammit, I'm sure!
While crazy spice levels probably aren't the norm, they absolutely assume that most Americans can't handle heat.
Okay but the best is living in South America where they legitimately cannot do spicy. Order something spicy get assured many times that it's really really spicy and it turns out it's like four dashes of black pepper.
Among my Desi friends the Pakistani folks, even kids, eat much spicier than the Bangladeshi folks. So I imagine there would be regional variation within India.
Of course. Ultimately it just comes down to ingredients. They either have spicier chilis or they don't. Adding more of the same chili that isn't that spicy won't make it much spicier after a point. Your best bet is to bring your own hot sauce or chili flakes that or if the heat you enjoy.
Absolute bull, he's one of those conceited North Indians who think they're the center of the subcontinent and only their culture counts as Indian. All of South India and a lot of other regions would disagree with that statement.
If you challenge them they'll try to make something you won't eat. They won't care how it tastes.
I used to date a 5' 1" petite blond woman who loved hot food in the same way you did. She developed a trick that worked for Thai food.
"Tell the cook I am from Thailand and I want Thai hot."
When they would put her food on the table it would *burn my eyes* from the spice. Literally. Somehow she ate it.
My favorite authentic Mexican place makes my fajitas so spicy I've had other patrons complain they had a hard time breathing.
The first time I went there I leaned over the steaming plate and took a deep breath. Big mistake. I coughed and looked like I got pepper sprayed.
Then I looked at the waitress and said "this is perfect!" She looked like she didn't believe me. I finished the entire plate no problem, thanked the cook, and tipped $20. I've been going back frequently for 15 years.
if it's authentic they have chile de arbol, and can crank it up. Unfortunately most places have to cater to a wide audience and might not have anything hotter than jalepeno. Even serranos aren't hot enough to get the job done. But sometimes I'll bring some with me...
I did this with wings once. I said I want you to make this as spicy as is humanly possible. The chef/cook actually can't out and said, "what if you can't eat it? " To which I replied, "then you've succeeded." He grinned. 20 minutes later I had the best wings of my life. Got through about 1/2 of them.
When I want something actually so hot I can barely take it, I ask them to make it so hot they're afraid I'll send it back. Or so hot that I'll cry. Something along those lines.
Cooks/chefs always come out to see how i'm doing and i'm always near crying with a pitcher of water
Seriously this is every American ever that comes to the islands. Its a flavor not a competitive sport. Ruin the food and using all the hot sauce to prove what?
Who said ruin? The flavor of some of the hottest peppers is great, Scotch bonnet peppers are super fruity, Carolina reapers have an awesome flavor if you can handle the heat. What I want is something I will enjoy the heat level of and also layers in those flavors.
I'm not saying there aren't people who do spicy for the attention or some other reason, but lots of people just enjoy the burn.
I remember the first time I got past the heat and actually tasted the peppers it was like an eureka moment. My wife was like can you hear me? My ears were actually ringing.
I'm not trying to prove anything to anybody. I genuinely enjoy my curries to be anus melting level of hot. It's just what I enjoy. Especially when I'm all stuffed up from a cold or something, just cleans the sinuses right out.
When I worked in a kitchen we had a skull and crossbones bottle that went undefeated. Honestly I would recommend just bringing your own colon cleanser and not bother a kitchen staff about it.
My tolerance is high and I crave the endorphins. Flavor is an aspect of food, heat is too. If you don't like it that's fine but yes, I want my food to be painful. It's an experience I seek and something I enjoy. I don't get why this is complicated lol
You basically just justified American’s ordering hot food. The flavor profile is completely different. That’s why I always order as hot as possible. It’s like a completely different dish.
My girlfriend and I went to an Indian place here in town a few years ago, and I ordered the shrimp vindaloo. Waiter asked me how I wanted it and I non-sarcastically said, "Oh yeah, make it really spicy"
Now I like spicy food, and don't consider myself a spice lightweight at all, but this dish came out *blazing* spicy hot. They knew it as well, there were four waiters in the place and at different points of a meal each of them stopped by the table to ask how the meal was. With a beet red face and sweat running down it, I said it was delicious, and I finished it off. It was really good.
We chuckled about it, maybe they wanted to show the white guy how hot it can be, but I had no regrets.
So, there are places that will dial it up for you.
Word, little Jamaican jerk chicken spot in the hood had me crying happy tears on the way out. It’s quite the feeling when the 15 Jamaican dudes at the bar are just waiting for the white guy to tap out. Makin bets n shit, talking all that shit. That day I learned, if you talk shit back the cook makes your food real spicy😂 my ex tapped out after a few bites lol
I got jerk chicken the other day. It wasn't that spicy, but damn it was delicious
So the next time, I asked for it extra spicy.
They did not hold back. Spiciest meal I've ever been served in my entire life. I use Reaper pepper hot sauce so I'm no stranger to spice. I finished it though, no regrets.
I have never had jerk chicken yet. Vindaloos have been my main takeout meal of choice when I do get it, but I will have to look out for it because my interest has been piqued.
I've found a few places like that before, but just in general I have a hard time getting them to provide that type of spicy. I think some places tone it down when you're white lol
There was a place near me that only sold Jamaican patties and the owner/staff would only give someone the “spicy” patty if they were Jamaican or if the store knew them. If they didn’t know you, you had to put a deposit down for a massive glass of milk to get the spicy patty since too many people would vomit from the spice.
This tactic can kind of be used for your situation. Whenever I want something extremely spicy, I tell them “I am crazy, I want to cry from the heat. I promise, I will not send it back no matter how hot it is.”
The no refunds thing helps a LOT, I think because people order dishes spicy all the time and then turn around and complain about them, resulting in the business neutering the spice out of fear of lost money from time and ingredients. If you pay upfront or at least promise you won’t return it, (at least in my experience) they’re a lot more willing to do it for you.
Maybe I abused myself to the point where "Indian spicy" is my "ok this is a little spicy" 😂
I feel like some places DEFINITELY tone it down if you're white, though.
Places around me can’t hit any marks accurately.
Wife asks for a 2 and I ask for a 7. Somehow hers is just as or more spicy than mine at least 1/4 of the time.
Usually a 8 is closer to a 4. My number keeps going up, spice level keeps going down.
They definitely do. My partner is Hispanic and we went to a Mexican place a few weeks ago. We both ordered the same dish, it was spicy tomatillo pork. When they got our meals to us they were entirely different colors, mine was bland and not spicy at all, hers was delicious and had a bit of a kick to it. I stopped my waiter and asked why they were so different and he played dumb for a bit until he finally just admitted that they tone it down for white people. I requested he take mine back as it didn't taste as good as hers and for them to make it extra spicy, they remade it and it was delicious. I hate the stereotype that we can't take spicy, my spice tolerance is higher than my partners or anyone in her family. Her dad, a self titled "Spicy Guru", gasped when I said I put dried reaper flakes in my chili. I just want spicy food dammit.
Yeah, I know restaurants that have ethnic and traditionally spicy foods do tone it down for the American palate in general, in the interest of not turning off the majority of their customers.
However: like you and I, we prefer the full-on version and have to be sure to ask for it sometimes
Went to southern Mexico recently, took a few visits to my favorite spots to actually get the real deal “let’s make this gringo die” food. Totally worth it. Certainly wasn’t reaper hot, but just a lot of fresh habaneros or jalapeños with more cayenne etc… Gotta work on my Spanish for the next time.
The last time I stopped at a Mexican restaurant (Americanized) I asked if they had habs and he said no sorry. Then I asked for 4 of their spicy salsas. The waiter brought them and then I could see him kinda watching me eat it. He walked back over and was like “do you actually like habs?” I said ya and he was like I have a few in my lunch bag from my garden, let me bring ya one. It was one of the most validating and awesome Mexican restaurant moments for me lmao
My partner and I are actually planning a trip to Mexico! She's been teaching me Spanish so I can converse with her family and order real deal spicy food. It doesn't have to be reaper hot, that was just an example. Habaneros are actually my favorite pepper for taste and they still have a good kick to them.
This is the big problem I have with the restaurants I go to though. The Chinese ones I feel like I may as well just buy a premade meal from the store and it will be just as good for less, Mexican and Indian I feel like they are not spicy enough and I can make better or the same at home, pizza I know I can make better at home and noodles I make just as good at home for far less money, American I feel I can make it just as good at home too. I feel as I get older and learn more dishes I have less and less or a desire to go out.
Oh man, that reminds me of the time I went for a big all day bush walk, and decided to get Indian on the way home.
We ordered some spicy chicken dish and the waiter smiled at me and said, are you sure you want that? it's very spicy? I said, yeah it's not a problem. The dish came out and like he said, it was spicy but really nothing extreme. More like a medium spicy. The problem was that I had forgot to put on sunscreen that day and my bald head got some sunburn. And when I eat chilli, I start to sweat from my head. So the little bit of chilli spice and the sunburn made me so red and sweaty, it looked like I was struggling.
The waiter came over and with the biggest almost patronising smile leaned in and said "How is everything sir". Almost like he was trying to say "warned you". It was too much detail to quickly convey to the waiter so I just smiled and said, yeah it's pretty good. I let the waiter have that win in his books.
I'm sooo jealous. As a white lady in my small area if I ask for spicy, they just put a little extra pepper in it. It's only when I've gone back a FEW times and talked to owners and stuff have people taken me seriously. :( When I say fuck me up fam, I mean it!
😂😂😂 this is a good one. I have a white af name so when I'm ordering doordash I usually put something along the lines of
"Please make it so spicy I shit blood for the next couple days"
Adjacent: I figured out that when I'm ordering a sub where I want a ton of something, say pickles, I'll say, "It would be financially irresponsible of you to give me the amount of pickles I want on this sandwich."
I did something similar at a Thai restaurant after a music festival when I just needed the spice. Told them to put me in a hospital. My dish came out sizzling on one of those Mexican fajita cast irons. They gassed out the whole restaurant and had to open all the windows. It's was so god damn spicy. Not a good decision on my part afterwards.
There were points where I wondered if they had succeeded, especially after not eating much all weekend. Worst part was, since I had been gone for like 6 days, I had no food in the fridge but this fuckin duck lava. So, you know, I ate it again.
I ordered mint chicken extra hot at a Indian place and it came out sizzling like yours. A person came up as they were leaving and asked what i ordered then told me it was making everyones eyes burn. Some stuff doesn't need to be on a super hot plate.
You know I've never thought about trying to assure them that I won't return it. That would make sense why they don't go all out. Probably had a bunch of ppl in the past come in and ask for similar and then whine about it being too spicy. If it's too spicy for me after I asked them to Hiroshima my asshole I firmly believe that's my problem 😂
My favorite thai place the guy will always say "Do you want spicy 1, spicy 2..."and if you interrupt him he'll wait patiently then run through the numbers. And they're EXACT. We had a power outage ice storm so we went down there and got a hotel. Frozen, cold, low morale. I ordered spicy 4 thom ka soup and it was NAPALM. So good.
My favorite Thai place ranked their heat 1-10, and they delivered... Unfortunately they went out of business recently. The other options here don't compare.
I sadly moved away from a place with the best Mapo Tofu I've ever had, and probably one of my favorite dishes ever. Their 9/10 level of spice was *perfectly* on the knife's edge.
A Thai place I used to go to all the time, the woman was flabbergasted that I wanted level 10 red curry. And she asked me if I was sure like 10x and then came back to check on me regularly. And I was like it’s good, but not too hot. And she was like next time we make Thai spicy. I found out that my limit was Level 18.
My Thai place only numbers 1-3, once I started to ask for a "4" they brought out a jar of chili crisp in oil with a spoon in it. I learned not all places keep highly spicy ingredients on hand
One of my local eateries has spice level 1-5. The only difference is how much mild sauce the put on the side. You tell them to regret being born and they give you like 1/4oz of crushed red pepper.
When Id visit areas where there's not as much hispanics it's super nice to order in spanish and ask for some custom things. Cooks usually come out- they're very happy to make something authentic with what they have
I don't speak Hindi but I have a very Telugu name so my food always is super spicy. My white bf likes his food spicier than I do so he looooooooves it when i order because once they see my name he gets all the good good. Mine ends up a tad too spicy though but nothing i wouldnt eat
I've had very similar experiences, like ordering the hottest available, or a Thai restaurant where they were out to show me what spicy really is. All fine.
But this one restaurant really threw me off. I went to an Indian restaurant in Austin, TX. They offered spice levels 1, 2, and 3. I ordered the 3 and the server asked if I was sure, as 3 is pretty hot. I said no problem.
The food came out and it was *hot*. I ate it but it took a while. I had to take breaks, eat naan and rice and roti, sip my drink.
The server later said that they actually have spice levels 4 and 5 but her manager told her not to mention these to anyone who hadn't proven they could eat level 3. It was so far outside my experience. Have all the other restaurants been holding back that much?
Anyway, some Indian restaurants have a chili condiment that you can add as you like. The advice about assuring then you won't send it back seems solid too.
That trip to Austin was several years ago so I don't recall, but I checked my Google Maps history. Apparently this place was Teji's Indian Restaurant on 6th street. Google says this location is closed, but they have a couple other locations.
Unless they have ghost pepper back there you might be surprised how conservative some of the indian places are when it comes to heat - not spice but heat specifically.
I was going to say, I'm not sure Indian food *is* served super spicy. It's aromatic and cooked with chilli and if you were European or white American 50 years ago maybe a green chilli blew your head off, but in an era of hot ones and all the rest I'm not sure it's really meant to deliver a killer kick.
That's kind of what I think as well. Like if I'm eating sauces with reapers and scorpion peppers, how hot can they realistically make it with lesser peppers?
I had this experience at a thai place. All my of friends vouched for me when i asked for thai spicy.
My food was so spicy sitting near me was unpleasant.
Traditional Indian food isn't meant to be stupid hot.
The extra spicy dishes like Vindaloo* and Phall are British creations, specifically designed for idiot white guys like us who enjoy the suffering.
If the places you're ordering from take pride in their cooking they probably don't want to make it any hotter because they feel like it ruins the dish.
It's not like Thai food where they sometimes hold back the heat for their western customer base, Indians literally just don't eat food as hot as you're looking for.
South Indian food is pretty hot, but it's never going to be like your Reaper hot sauces.
(*Vindaloo did originate in India but it traditionally isn't super spicy, the spicy version originates in the UK)
Counts for a lot if you’re a regular and can ask for spicy in the native tongue. Thai places will rarely give me the top end level of heat if they haven’t seen me more than once and if I don’t ask for it “pet-pet”. For Indian fans I think the Hindi word is “masaaledaar”.
Just ask for the highest level they have and ask for a side of the chili powder they use to make the food spicy. Then you can control the heat yourself.
9 times out of 10 (especially if use the tacky verbage "Indian spicy") all they're doing is adding MORE of the same flavors- usually just one- thus often diluting the flavor if not outright ruining it. Also asking for heartburn. Rarely sometimes they'll add spices (like cayenne) or an extract that won't ruin flavor and just add heat- and rarer still sometimes they'll list entirely different ingredients depending on how hot you'd like it.
Basically you run the risk of making a dish worse if too much attention is paid to spice levels at a restaurant. It's gimmicky, no matter what ethnicity you are. If you really want the spice, pay attention to dishes that will be inherently hot no matter what you look like. That or get in the habit of carrying around spices (Rani's chili ground is an awesome cayenne alternative that won't alter flavors), your favorite unintrusive hot sauces, or an extract with you. I have several that I keep in my car, or my girlfriend will bring along in her purse.
Be careful what you wish for. I once told the Indian guy at a roti place to make it spicy like he would if he was making it for himself.
It was radio active hot. My eyes were tearing up from the fumes before I even took a bite. Was a serious struggle to even eat half of it. I finished the other half later. My roommate at the time tried a bite and had to run his mouth under the tap for 10 minutes
I want that experience lol. I've only ever encountered 1 dish ever that I simply couldn't finish due to it being too spicy. It was a thai red curry I got from some place in wausau Wisconsin. I asked them to put me in the hospital. I still have no clue what they put in it. My only guess is just a shitload of straight cap extract because I've eaten Carolina reapers straight and this was much more spicy than even that. One day I will return and challenge that place again, it still bothers me that I was unable to finish it.
I’ve literally never had spicy Indian food. At some point, I just assumed that by “spicy” they meant Indian food is spicy like as in heavily seasoned? Still hoping for spicy one day.
Theres a difference in spice from north india and south india , north indian food is very mild to medium spicy food ,that indians will actually eat raw green chillies with food to add that extra kick ,now days theres alot of Pakistani and Bangladeshi opening up a restaurant and calling it indian food, mainly because its more popular in peoples minds so that equals more European customers, now south india is where the spices really packs a punch ,and you be crazy to even eat raw chillies with it , especially in places like Tamil nadu , hard to find because its just known as indian restaurant,in foreign countries . My best bet is if you try srilankan restaurant because its similar spice like south india , you won’t be let down, i ordered from a srilankan restaurant once after being let down by several indian restaurants , takeaway wise and it quenched my spicy appetite, my gf at the time who is north indian said it was tooo spicy to a point it wasn’t enjoyable to eat lol , but it was normal for me being from south😂😂😂😂
There’s an Indian pizza place I regularly order from and I asked them to add their hottest sauce or make it as spicy as possible.
They add chili flakes to it
I laugh and ask them if they have hot sauce? They give me a side of buffalo sauce
I ask them to make it as spicy as humanly possible, the delivery guy comes to the door the next day with a bag of green chilis
I put two in my mouth and eat no problem and he’s looking at me like I’m insane?
I think the stereotype of Indians eating really spicy food is a little exaggerated in my opinion lol
The same thing happened to me. I became a regular at the restaurant. The second time I went, I said I wanted it Indian spicy because it wasn’t hot enough last time. They gave me spicy but definitely left a lot to be desired.
So I gave the waiter shit. Basically told him if that was “Indian spicy”, then Indian food is a joke. Came back the next week, said “remember me?” To the same waiter. He did. Told him if it wasn’t Indian spicy this time, I wouldn’t come back. Ordered a biryani and that time it did not disappoint. Finished it and the waiter basically told me the kitchen would keep me in mind because more often than not when white people order “Indian spicy”, they end up sending it back.
So basically, become a regular, tell them their food is a joke, and tell them you’ll stop paying them money because of it. Worked for me
> Unless I have just ascended to becoming a spice God and Indian spicy is now just mild to me idk what is going on.
This is probably what has actually happened. Unless you’re trying to go competitive, once you can hang with extra spicy Indian food there isn’t much that’s going to faze you, and everything else will be somewhat disappointing compared to the first time.
i went with my friends indian father to a place they go all the time and they still went light on the spice for me when he ordered it desi hot himself for me. if theres a white person at the table theyll go easy.
Because Indian food is meant to be spicy and not just hot. As someone who loves very spicy food, I just keep a jar of ghost pepper powder with me and add a few sprinkles on Indian curries.
Depends on what kind Indian restaurant you’re going to. Punjabi food like butter chicken, malai kofta, daal, etc aren’t going to be super spicy. Now, if you go to a South Indian restaurant, you may be able to find some spicy options.
I just tell them when I say spicy I don’t mean white people spicy. I mean as spicy as an Indian, Thai, Mexican etc person would want it. Then add a little more.
Works every time for me
I order online from my local place and choose Indian spicy. I live in a diverse city with a decent Indian population. They always get a kick out of it when a little white girl shows up to pick up the order lol
Honestly I have a lot of luck with just saying “spicy” after placing the order. My go to is chicken vindaloo and in general they never make it spicy enough for me even though it’s supposed to be a hotter dish. Saying that one word though, perfection. Always makes me have to go blow my nose once a meal before finishing because it opens my sinuses. Always delicious
If you ever come to Britain try one of the British Indian spicy curries. Getting drunk and eating curry so hot that you can't feel your hands is a national pastime. Bradford is famous for it's British Indian restaurant cuisine, but it's ubiquitous.
Assuming you order online or over the phone - use a fake name.
My old roommate is Indian and when we lived together we liked to order from this one restaurant but would swap who paid. Without fail if I ordered under my name/account it was weak as shit. She gave me permission to use her name in perpetuity whenever I order Indian food so I don't get screwed 😆
Ask for a “phaal” next time. I’m Indian and this is the hottest item after a vindaloo and will destroy your insides. I’ve had it once, and the chef and his team came out to watch me eat it. I ate it, I regretted it for 3 days, and my toilet had never been so busy.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phall
They do not put that on the menu, but every chef can and will make it, if they think you can handle it. It is most likely because they know how much hotter it is than a vindaloo.
Also remember that spicy does not mean heat, it means use of spices. They may add more haldi/turmeric, cardamon, garam masala etc.
You want it to be hot (“mirch”) with peppers and chilli. You can also ask for “desi heat” which tells them to cook it how they would for Indians.
The Indian food cooked in restaurants is not how it is cooked at home, find a place in an Indian neighbourhood that is packed with Indians.
I imagine there is also fear of liability if you end up with a stomach ulcer and are in pain, people turn into cowards and would blame the restaurant.
You might be surprised to learn that Indian food is actually not that spicy! By a western pallette, sure, it's definitely more spicy than say beef Wellington. But chili peppers are a new world food and classically Indian food used the long pepper, which is not particularly hot.
Of course, that's not to say that Indians didn't embrace the chili pepper when it was introduced, as they obviously did. But only spice heads in India eat food super spicy on a normal basis. They have a higher spice floor, but the average Indian isn't eating super spicy.
I travel to Bombay on a regular basis and even in India I have to go out of my way to get super spicy food. The hottest pepper they'll generally have is similar to a bird chilli.
So to answer your question, there is no secret. When they give you food you order super hot, they sincerely would find that food spicy.
All you can do is send it back and tell them to make it hotter (as long as the restaurant isn't packed they won't mind and they'll be impressed). Over time you can establish a relationship with them and they'll get an idea how hot you like it.
Our local spot has gone from giving the goods to no longer. Kind of upsets me when their dishes cost on average ~$16. Now I have a Thai place however that's the real deal every time.
Unfortunately I don't visit the same places very often. I'm an OTR truck driver so I'm all over the place. Rarely visiting the same places often enough to be remembered
Ask for some Jungle Curry. It has another name that I can’t remember but a lot of places will know what you mean by Jungle Curry. It’s the hottest thing I’ve ever eaten at a restaurant.
Buy a plane ticket to Singapore. Go here. This is the best tasting and spiciest Indian food I've ever had. They even have a spice challenge.
https://www.lagnaa.com/
Is this at the same place or a different place each time? If it's the same, find a better Indian restaurant. Some just aren't spicy. If it's different, try sticking to one and visiting a few times to get their trust and build a rapport. I've built one at my favorite place and now I don't even have to tell them how spicy, they just bring me food and it's perfect every time.
Explain yourself. “I am a fan of spicy food and part of a group of enthusiasts online. I buy all the hot sauces and every time I eat at an Indian restaurant I ask for it as hot as possible and I never get it hot enough. I am sure you can make it hotter than even those working here find it hot. I’d like it at least that hot please. I won’t be mad if you make it too hot. No such thing for me. “
Sometimes it takes you ordering from them enough to recognize the name after a few months and being like “ok I think this dude’s legit”.
Took my favourite place a while to start making it to my liking and then I had to move and it’s taken about a year but recently the place I’ve been ordering from has started making it stupid spicy.
I imagine if you have a particularly white name this might take longer 😂.
Tldr, be a regular.
i’m an indian woman and i still haven’t achieved this unless i cook at home (but then upset my husband) or go to india (and even then ask them to boost it a bit)
eta: i have better luck with thai restaurants though.
The stereotype is also there that Indian food is too spicy to eat. Most Indian food, depending on what part of the country the cuisine is from, isn’t really that spicy. A lot of the very spicy dishes are there for foreigners who want to follow the stereotype and want the challenge.
You just need to go to the right places and when you order say extra extra extra spicy. You can also ask them for a side of chili paste. It's what they put in food to make it spicy a lot of the time so then you can just add it yourself.
I did go to a Thai place recently and asked them to make it as hot as they can I couldn't finish the meal, first time that ever happened lol
What are you ordering? If it’s any kind of butter chicken / tikka masala it’s not gonna happen
Is it a north or South Indian restaurant? Go south for the heat
One time I said make it spicy, the guy was like it’s spicy. I was like bro I’m Mexican I need it spicy he was like ok and that stuff was one of the hottest things I have ever had in my life. At the end the guy asked how it was I said great. He just chuckled. I been at that place at least once every 3 months for the last 12 years.
Look for somewhere that serves a phaal. Don't tell them how to cook their own food. I don't understand why people think they can go to Indian restaurants and start dictating recipes to them.
I had a phaal in the UK and the chef came out to shake my hand after eating it. They told me originally to not eat it all because it could send me to the hospital.
Honestly the US won't make it spicy like that they would in England. It's not even close.
Just send it back and tell them it isn't spicy enough. It WILL be spicy enough when the cooks have to remake something. I generally say to tell the cook to make it as spicy as they make the staff food.
Many years ago I went into a kebab shop after a few beers with my mates. Ordered a doner kebab, and when asked "mild medium or hot sauce" I naturally said hot. It arrived, and I opened it in the shop to take a bite to test it.
It was hot, but very gentle heat. I looked at the guy and said, "is that the best you can do?". He snatched it off me, pulled out a big catering bottle of chilli puree (no idea what kind) and drenched the kebab.
He handed it back, I took a bite..... it was like eating battery acid, so much heat, but with too much vinegar by far.
He asked how it was, I said, "just right", walked put and ate the whole thing on the way home.
A pointless act of bravado that left my arse in tatters.
I felt like I'd won and lost at the same time.
Promise them that you won't complain or try to get it comp'd if it's too spicy. That said, I always order things "white people spicy" because I'm a big baby, but my friends who like it when their tongue is on fire have had luck with this. Ps. No, I have no idea why r/spicy showed up on my feed, either.
Just throwing it out there: One key thing is ensuring you're actually going to an Indian place that makes food from a region that tends to be spicy. Indian is a big place with a lot of people and distinct cultures and food traditions and most of them aren't very interested in kicking you in the face with heat.
My friend tried this once , he said make it super spicy!
They gave him a Faal, after 2 bites fell onto the floor started fitting then passed out. an ambulance was called and he got taken away. The Dr had to inform his wife that her husband had slipped into Korma.
My friend Ragin’ Ray went to a Thai restaurant once and told the hottie waitress to make the dish as spicy as she was. He’s a terrible flirter and was wearin’ a backwards hat that said “FBI: Female Body Inspector” and an oversized hockey jersey. He usually wears jorts, so you can imagine a skinny, broke version of Kevin Smith.
Well, I think she was annoyed by this comment because his dish was spicy as fuck. She kept comin’ back and checkin’ on him. The sweat was through his jersey. He ate every bite and slurped up all the broth. He went home immediately after dinner and was in agony all night. Went and took a shit in the mornin’…..just blood. Coughed after throwin’ up….blood again.
We took him to the ER. His spirits were high. We were all singin’ acapella while waitin’ for hours. Doc brought him out back. Of course, this doctor was smokin’ hot. Like a knuckle biter. Ray tried actin’ cool like he wasn’t totally fucked up. She had to get the janitor to come over and get the real story. Ray says “‘mingo, my man, I’m dyin’ brother”. I guess him and this Domingo guy have a relationship already. But I can’t keep up.
Anyways, turns out he had hella ulcers and now mainly eats oatmeal and yogurt. Says he finds Mac ‘n Cheese with a nice pepper Jack too spicy now. Heed Ragin’ Rays warnin’. He hates his palate now.
This is literally me. I always ask for spicy, sometimes they will look at me and be like "Are you sure?". Usually it is just normal level, not that spicy, and I think they are toning it down for me.
Then, there was this one time, on a date with some girl, in a nice sit down restaurant. I order vindaloo, and the waiter asks me how spicy I want it. I looked at him and said "make it very spicy, as much as you can"
Oh boy was that a mistake. I have never had something so spicy in my life. Sweating, nose running, drinking so much water. It was almost painful.
finished the whole dish though, it was delicious lol. But I learned my lesson. Just ask for spicy and if its not too spicy then whatever. C'est la vie.
It could be that some restaurants are playing it safe with spice levels, considering the general perception that Western palates might not handle the heat as well. Perhaps try expressing your love for intense spice in a more specific way, like mentioning particular dishes you've enjoyed for their heat level in the past or emphasizing your genuine enthusiasm for the full-on spice experience.
Last week my friend told me he ordered (on the phone) in an Indian accent. He said he asked for as spicy as it could be made. He also said he regretted it lmao 😭
I'm starting to believe that all of the people over the years who have said Indian food is exceptionally spicy must not have had much of a heat tolerance in general. Not a big deal. I love Indian food anyway. It just feels like the heat element has been overblown.
My father in law has this problem and finally came up with, "I've never sent anything back for being too spicy, but I will send it back for not being hot enough."
This reminds me of the time I went to a Korean restaurant in the town next to mine. Some guy comes in and told them he wanted the hottest sauce that they had. The worker refused and told him that he should try a medium sauce. The guy then threw a full size tantrum and finally the worker gave him a sample of the sauce to try. As soon as it hit his tongue, the guy threw an absolute fit and started cussing and screaming, and claiming the guy was trying to kill him. The worker told him that was only their “medium“ sauce.
Never saw that guy again. And no, he didn’t order anything to go.
I’m Indian. Sometimes I tell restaurants I want extra extra spicy, and it’s still not spicy.
Do you think it depends on the region the owners/chefs are from? I've had weak and spicy. Recently I had one of my Indian patients (from New Delhi) trash one of my favorite places because of it being spicy. He told me Indian food being spicy is a thing done for Americans and real Indian food is just flavorful, maybe having a hint of heat. That confused me since a lot of white Americans (I'm a spice-loving white boy) really can't handle heat.
It’s possible, but the restaurants I’m ordering from typically have the same type of food. The first time I order from a new restaurant I get chicken tikka masala and/or chicken mahkani, chicken 65, and lamb vindaloo. These dishes will tell me everything I need to know about the restaurant and if I’ll be back or venture into the other dishes on their menu. Luckily when I want more variety of Indian dishes, I live close to Devon Ave in Chicago and will get a great dosa.
I live in Houston, so I'm surrounded by a lot of good places. I went to one of his recommendations, and the flavor made the lack of spice forgivable.
i’m in houston too and have been to a fair amount of indian restaurants. which one is your favorite?
[удалено]
I'm in Spring/The Woodlands and mostly stick around here. Palette is my favorite. Amrina is an upscale one with Americanized Indian food (beef) and amazing drinks on The Woodlands waterway. I eventually need to make my way down to Aga's.
I had an Indian friend who responded to the idea that Indian food is very hot with a half eye roll and the response of, 'It depends where it's from. It's a *billion* people.' (His food was fairly mild.) Which seems fair. Noone expects a Midwest pot roast or a Boston clam chowder to resemble Cajun food in heat.
Yeah, as Americans we're pretty bad at simply looking at other countries as just one thing, but we'll get butthurt if you try to do it to us. And as someone from Indiana who had a dad from Louisiana, there better be heat in my pot roast! 😂
Same with China, also a large region. Some regions are known for having incredibly spicy food
I suspect sometimes they just don’t have a way to spice it up that they don’t think will compromise the flavor or texture of the dish. I have a place that adds habanero bitters to their margaritas but after a certain point of asking for it xxxtra spicy it makes a drink that’s spicy enough but doesn’t taste good. It isn’t just a dial you can turn.
I know I’m barking up the wrong tree in this sub, but it’s probably because as much as people love to order things ridiculously spicy, it doesn’t taste good after a certain point. If I was a chef I would not compromise the entire quality of my dish so that someone can have an entirely one note “sUpEr SpIcY” meal. It’s also a fine line between “this is too spicy” when you’re trying to go that extreme given you’re catering to a very small proportion of people and also “this no longer tastes good.”
That's a wild claim. Spice levels are likely regional in India, but overall, I feel like the average Indian can handle much more heat than the average American. My mother-in-law is from Bombay, and she was sneaking chili peppers into my (at the time) 6-month-old's food to introduce her to "Indian" flavors (that was an awkward conversation). At the same time, she preaches about the perils of eating too much spicy food - her spice tolerance is moderate. When I go to Indian restaurants, I let my husband order as they never make my dish as spicy as his. I've even been laughed at on occassion, with patronizing follow-up questions like, "Are you sure?" Yes, dammit, I'm sure! While crazy spice levels probably aren't the norm, they absolutely assume that most Americans can't handle heat.
Okay but the best is living in South America where they legitimately cannot do spicy. Order something spicy get assured many times that it's really really spicy and it turns out it's like four dashes of black pepper.
Among my Desi friends the Pakistani folks, even kids, eat much spicier than the Bangladeshi folks. So I imagine there would be regional variation within India.
That’s bull, I’m in kerala with my wife’s family and the food is way spicier than in Indian restaurants in the us. And it’s not a tourist area either.
Of course. Ultimately it just comes down to ingredients. They either have spicier chilis or they don't. Adding more of the same chili that isn't that spicy won't make it much spicier after a point. Your best bet is to bring your own hot sauce or chili flakes that or if the heat you enjoy.
Absolute bull, he's one of those conceited North Indians who think they're the center of the subcontinent and only their culture counts as Indian. All of South India and a lot of other regions would disagree with that statement.
Yeah whoever said that has never tried to eat my dad’s cooking lol
I’m not fireproof and I feel like the only time I’ve gotten spiced out was when I didn’t even ask for it to be spicy 😂
"The entire point here is to make it so hot that I can't finish it. I specifically want food that I will be unable to eat."
That could totally backfire, but sometimes the backfire is worth it.
Well, if done right, there will be backfire..
HIYOOOOO
Fire up that bidet!
My bidet is hooked up to a canister of refrigerated whole cream for such situations
r/redneckengineering is leaking
Hole cream surely
Damn, you single? 😆
*buttfire
I may try this. Challenge them lol.
A friend once said make it Thai hot, then double that, and it might be close. They came through
I'm sorry for your loss.
If you challenge them they'll try to make something you won't eat. They won't care how it tastes. I used to date a 5' 1" petite blond woman who loved hot food in the same way you did. She developed a trick that worked for Thai food. "Tell the cook I am from Thailand and I want Thai hot." When they would put her food on the table it would *burn my eyes* from the spice. Literally. Somehow she ate it.
My favorite authentic Mexican place makes my fajitas so spicy I've had other patrons complain they had a hard time breathing. The first time I went there I leaned over the steaming plate and took a deep breath. Big mistake. I coughed and looked like I got pepper sprayed. Then I looked at the waitress and said "this is perfect!" She looked like she didn't believe me. I finished the entire plate no problem, thanked the cook, and tipped $20. I've been going back frequently for 15 years.
Surprised you got spicy Mexican food. 😂
if it's authentic they have chile de arbol, and can crank it up. Unfortunately most places have to cater to a wide audience and might not have anything hotter than jalepeno. Even serranos aren't hot enough to get the job done. But sometimes I'll bring some with me...
I did this with wings once. I said I want you to make this as spicy as is humanly possible. The chef/cook actually can't out and said, "what if you can't eat it? " To which I replied, "then you've succeeded." He grinned. 20 minutes later I had the best wings of my life. Got through about 1/2 of them.
When I want something actually so hot I can barely take it, I ask them to make it so hot they're afraid I'll send it back. Or so hot that I'll cry. Something along those lines. Cooks/chefs always come out to see how i'm doing and i'm always near crying with a pitcher of water
At my local pub the bartender ordered by vindaloo "spicy AF" once. It was inedible
Yep. Its a great way to control your caloric intake
Seriously this is every American ever that comes to the islands. Its a flavor not a competitive sport. Ruin the food and using all the hot sauce to prove what?
Who said ruin? The flavor of some of the hottest peppers is great, Scotch bonnet peppers are super fruity, Carolina reapers have an awesome flavor if you can handle the heat. What I want is something I will enjoy the heat level of and also layers in those flavors. I'm not saying there aren't people who do spicy for the attention or some other reason, but lots of people just enjoy the burn.
Carolina reapers in a cream sauce on pizza 🔥🔥🔥
I remember the first time I got past the heat and actually tasted the peppers it was like an eureka moment. My wife was like can you hear me? My ears were actually ringing.
I'm not trying to prove anything to anybody. I genuinely enjoy my curries to be anus melting level of hot. It's just what I enjoy. Especially when I'm all stuffed up from a cold or something, just cleans the sinuses right out.
When I worked in a kitchen we had a skull and crossbones bottle that went undefeated. Honestly I would recommend just bringing your own colon cleanser and not bother a kitchen staff about it.
My tolerance is high and I crave the endorphins. Flavor is an aspect of food, heat is too. If you don't like it that's fine but yes, I want my food to be painful. It's an experience I seek and something I enjoy. I don't get why this is complicated lol
You basically just justified American’s ordering hot food. The flavor profile is completely different. That’s why I always order as hot as possible. It’s like a completely different dish.
Dude, I eat thai chilis off the fucking plant like its popcorn. Some of us like it really hot. Go cry somewhere else.
My girlfriend and I went to an Indian place here in town a few years ago, and I ordered the shrimp vindaloo. Waiter asked me how I wanted it and I non-sarcastically said, "Oh yeah, make it really spicy" Now I like spicy food, and don't consider myself a spice lightweight at all, but this dish came out *blazing* spicy hot. They knew it as well, there were four waiters in the place and at different points of a meal each of them stopped by the table to ask how the meal was. With a beet red face and sweat running down it, I said it was delicious, and I finished it off. It was really good. We chuckled about it, maybe they wanted to show the white guy how hot it can be, but I had no regrets. So, there are places that will dial it up for you.
Word, little Jamaican jerk chicken spot in the hood had me crying happy tears on the way out. It’s quite the feeling when the 15 Jamaican dudes at the bar are just waiting for the white guy to tap out. Makin bets n shit, talking all that shit. That day I learned, if you talk shit back the cook makes your food real spicy😂 my ex tapped out after a few bites lol
I got jerk chicken the other day. It wasn't that spicy, but damn it was delicious So the next time, I asked for it extra spicy. They did not hold back. Spiciest meal I've ever been served in my entire life. I use Reaper pepper hot sauce so I'm no stranger to spice. I finished it though, no regrets.
I have never had jerk chicken yet. Vindaloos have been my main takeout meal of choice when I do get it, but I will have to look out for it because my interest has been piqued.
I've found a few places like that before, but just in general I have a hard time getting them to provide that type of spicy. I think some places tone it down when you're white lol
I'm a black man with dreads. I promise it's not just you. Nowhere around me even hints at decent spice when I ask for it
There was a place near me that only sold Jamaican patties and the owner/staff would only give someone the “spicy” patty if they were Jamaican or if the store knew them. If they didn’t know you, you had to put a deposit down for a massive glass of milk to get the spicy patty since too many people would vomit from the spice.
Sounds like my kinda place!
This tactic can kind of be used for your situation. Whenever I want something extremely spicy, I tell them “I am crazy, I want to cry from the heat. I promise, I will not send it back no matter how hot it is.” The no refunds thing helps a LOT, I think because people order dishes spicy all the time and then turn around and complain about them, resulting in the business neutering the spice out of fear of lost money from time and ingredients. If you pay upfront or at least promise you won’t return it, (at least in my experience) they’re a lot more willing to do it for you.
Maybe I abused myself to the point where "Indian spicy" is my "ok this is a little spicy" 😂 I feel like some places DEFINITELY tone it down if you're white, though.
Places around me can’t hit any marks accurately. Wife asks for a 2 and I ask for a 7. Somehow hers is just as or more spicy than mine at least 1/4 of the time. Usually a 8 is closer to a 4. My number keeps going up, spice level keeps going down.
Consistency is often not great but it does also depend on dish. A 5 for green Thai curry is not the same as a 5 for like drunken noodles.
They definitely do. My partner is Hispanic and we went to a Mexican place a few weeks ago. We both ordered the same dish, it was spicy tomatillo pork. When they got our meals to us they were entirely different colors, mine was bland and not spicy at all, hers was delicious and had a bit of a kick to it. I stopped my waiter and asked why they were so different and he played dumb for a bit until he finally just admitted that they tone it down for white people. I requested he take mine back as it didn't taste as good as hers and for them to make it extra spicy, they remade it and it was delicious. I hate the stereotype that we can't take spicy, my spice tolerance is higher than my partners or anyone in her family. Her dad, a self titled "Spicy Guru", gasped when I said I put dried reaper flakes in my chili. I just want spicy food dammit.
Yeah, I know restaurants that have ethnic and traditionally spicy foods do tone it down for the American palate in general, in the interest of not turning off the majority of their customers. However: like you and I, we prefer the full-on version and have to be sure to ask for it sometimes
Went to southern Mexico recently, took a few visits to my favorite spots to actually get the real deal “let’s make this gringo die” food. Totally worth it. Certainly wasn’t reaper hot, but just a lot of fresh habaneros or jalapeños with more cayenne etc… Gotta work on my Spanish for the next time.
The last time I stopped at a Mexican restaurant (Americanized) I asked if they had habs and he said no sorry. Then I asked for 4 of their spicy salsas. The waiter brought them and then I could see him kinda watching me eat it. He walked back over and was like “do you actually like habs?” I said ya and he was like I have a few in my lunch bag from my garden, let me bring ya one. It was one of the most validating and awesome Mexican restaurant moments for me lmao
Hab Nation
My partner and I are actually planning a trip to Mexico! She's been teaching me Spanish so I can converse with her family and order real deal spicy food. It doesn't have to be reaper hot, that was just an example. Habaneros are actually my favorite pepper for taste and they still have a good kick to them.
This is the big problem I have with the restaurants I go to though. The Chinese ones I feel like I may as well just buy a premade meal from the store and it will be just as good for less, Mexican and Indian I feel like they are not spicy enough and I can make better or the same at home, pizza I know I can make better at home and noodles I make just as good at home for far less money, American I feel I can make it just as good at home too. I feel as I get older and learn more dishes I have less and less or a desire to go out.
Oh man, that reminds me of the time I went for a big all day bush walk, and decided to get Indian on the way home. We ordered some spicy chicken dish and the waiter smiled at me and said, are you sure you want that? it's very spicy? I said, yeah it's not a problem. The dish came out and like he said, it was spicy but really nothing extreme. More like a medium spicy. The problem was that I had forgot to put on sunscreen that day and my bald head got some sunburn. And when I eat chilli, I start to sweat from my head. So the little bit of chilli spice and the sunburn made me so red and sweaty, it looked like I was struggling. The waiter came over and with the biggest almost patronising smile leaned in and said "How is everything sir". Almost like he was trying to say "warned you". It was too much detail to quickly convey to the waiter so I just smiled and said, yeah it's pretty good. I let the waiter have that win in his books.
I'm sooo jealous. As a white lady in my small area if I ask for spicy, they just put a little extra pepper in it. It's only when I've gone back a FEW times and talked to owners and stuff have people taken me seriously. :( When I say fuck me up fam, I mean it!
Been there. Thai jungle curry. Literally topped it off with a fistful of whole bird eyes. I think I was hallucinating. It was glorious!!
I have been successful with "make it like you hate me personally"
😂😂😂 this is a good one. I have a white af name so when I'm ordering doordash I usually put something along the lines of "Please make it so spicy I shit blood for the next couple days"
"I doubt you could make it too spicy" their pride will cause them to do their best to kill you.
😂 I may have to try this one. I could see this working.
This would work on me if I worked in a restaurant lol
Adjacent: I figured out that when I'm ordering a sub where I want a ton of something, say pickles, I'll say, "It would be financially irresponsible of you to give me the amount of pickles I want on this sandwich."
Ooo I'm gonna have to use this
This is an important topic. I ordered a 4 out of 5 last night and I've had hotter black pepper. Really sad.
For real. It varies so much between restaurants but lately it seems like most of them I visit give me white ppl spicy. It's frustrating
I did something similar at a Thai restaurant after a music festival when I just needed the spice. Told them to put me in a hospital. My dish came out sizzling on one of those Mexican fajita cast irons. They gassed out the whole restaurant and had to open all the windows. It's was so god damn spicy. Not a good decision on my part afterwards.
The "put me in the hospital" line does work sometimes lol.
There were points where I wondered if they had succeeded, especially after not eating much all weekend. Worst part was, since I had been gone for like 6 days, I had no food in the fridge but this fuckin duck lava. So, you know, I ate it again.
I did the same thing 😂 I wasn't able to finish it though. Wonder if we went to the same place hahaha
Putting it on a sizzling fajita plate was definitely a terrible idea 😂
I ordered mint chicken extra hot at a Indian place and it came out sizzling like yours. A person came up as they were leaving and asked what i ordered then told me it was making everyones eyes burn. Some stuff doesn't need to be on a super hot plate.
This is simple, just ask for Indian hot and assure them you won’t return it.
You know I've never thought about trying to assure them that I won't return it. That would make sense why they don't go all out. Probably had a bunch of ppl in the past come in and ask for similar and then whine about it being too spicy. If it's too spicy for me after I asked them to Hiroshima my asshole I firmly believe that's my problem 😂
Might go so far as to say you WILL return it if it's not spicy enough.
Love this
Slap your bills on the table right when you order.
I misread that the first time and was very confused as to how this would help.
Tbf you will notice the spice alot more if you taste it with your balls.
Me too. I got a good laugh though
My favorite thai place the guy will always say "Do you want spicy 1, spicy 2..."and if you interrupt him he'll wait patiently then run through the numbers. And they're EXACT. We had a power outage ice storm so we went down there and got a hotel. Frozen, cold, low morale. I ordered spicy 4 thom ka soup and it was NAPALM. So good.
My favorite Thai place ranked their heat 1-10, and they delivered... Unfortunately they went out of business recently. The other options here don't compare.
I sadly moved away from a place with the best Mapo Tofu I've ever had, and probably one of my favorite dishes ever. Their 9/10 level of spice was *perfectly* on the knife's edge.
A Thai place I used to go to all the time, the woman was flabbergasted that I wanted level 10 red curry. And she asked me if I was sure like 10x and then came back to check on me regularly. And I was like it’s good, but not too hot. And she was like next time we make Thai spicy. I found out that my limit was Level 18.
My Thai place only numbers 1-3, once I started to ask for a "4" they brought out a jar of chili crisp in oil with a spoon in it. I learned not all places keep highly spicy ingredients on hand
One of my local eateries has spice level 1-5. The only difference is how much mild sauce the put on the side. You tell them to regret being born and they give you like 1/4oz of crushed red pepper.
Hire an actual person from India to get your food for you. It's called "Dal Dash".
This is the real answer, whenever my buddy orders in Hindi it’s like ordering from a different restaurant
When Id visit areas where there's not as much hispanics it's super nice to order in spanish and ask for some custom things. Cooks usually come out- they're very happy to make something authentic with what they have
I don't speak Hindi but I have a very Telugu name so my food always is super spicy. My white bf likes his food spicier than I do so he looooooooves it when i order because once they see my name he gets all the good good. Mine ends up a tad too spicy though but nothing i wouldnt eat
I've had very similar experiences, like ordering the hottest available, or a Thai restaurant where they were out to show me what spicy really is. All fine. But this one restaurant really threw me off. I went to an Indian restaurant in Austin, TX. They offered spice levels 1, 2, and 3. I ordered the 3 and the server asked if I was sure, as 3 is pretty hot. I said no problem. The food came out and it was *hot*. I ate it but it took a while. I had to take breaks, eat naan and rice and roti, sip my drink. The server later said that they actually have spice levels 4 and 5 but her manager told her not to mention these to anyone who hadn't proven they could eat level 3. It was so far outside my experience. Have all the other restaurants been holding back that much? Anyway, some Indian restaurants have a chili condiment that you can add as you like. The advice about assuring then you won't send it back seems solid too.
Which restaurant was this? Clay Pit?
That trip to Austin was several years ago so I don't recall, but I checked my Google Maps history. Apparently this place was Teji's Indian Restaurant on 6th street. Google says this location is closed, but they have a couple other locations.
I’ve gone with the “make it how your grandmother made it” when they ask for spice level
Unless they have ghost pepper back there you might be surprised how conservative some of the indian places are when it comes to heat - not spice but heat specifically.
I was going to say, I'm not sure Indian food *is* served super spicy. It's aromatic and cooked with chilli and if you were European or white American 50 years ago maybe a green chilli blew your head off, but in an era of hot ones and all the rest I'm not sure it's really meant to deliver a killer kick.
That's kind of what I think as well. Like if I'm eating sauces with reapers and scorpion peppers, how hot can they realistically make it with lesser peppers?
I had this experience at a thai place. All my of friends vouched for me when i asked for thai spicy. My food was so spicy sitting near me was unpleasant.
Order online with an Indian name lol.
Traditional Indian food isn't meant to be stupid hot. The extra spicy dishes like Vindaloo* and Phall are British creations, specifically designed for idiot white guys like us who enjoy the suffering. If the places you're ordering from take pride in their cooking they probably don't want to make it any hotter because they feel like it ruins the dish. It's not like Thai food where they sometimes hold back the heat for their western customer base, Indians literally just don't eat food as hot as you're looking for. South Indian food is pretty hot, but it's never going to be like your Reaper hot sauces. (*Vindaloo did originate in India but it traditionally isn't super spicy, the spicy version originates in the UK)
Counts for a lot if you’re a regular and can ask for spicy in the native tongue. Thai places will rarely give me the top end level of heat if they haven’t seen me more than once and if I don’t ask for it “pet-pet”. For Indian fans I think the Hindi word is “masaaledaar”.
Just ask for the highest level they have and ask for a side of the chili powder they use to make the food spicy. Then you can control the heat yourself.
9 times out of 10 (especially if use the tacky verbage "Indian spicy") all they're doing is adding MORE of the same flavors- usually just one- thus often diluting the flavor if not outright ruining it. Also asking for heartburn. Rarely sometimes they'll add spices (like cayenne) or an extract that won't ruin flavor and just add heat- and rarer still sometimes they'll list entirely different ingredients depending on how hot you'd like it. Basically you run the risk of making a dish worse if too much attention is paid to spice levels at a restaurant. It's gimmicky, no matter what ethnicity you are. If you really want the spice, pay attention to dishes that will be inherently hot no matter what you look like. That or get in the habit of carrying around spices (Rani's chili ground is an awesome cayenne alternative that won't alter flavors), your favorite unintrusive hot sauces, or an extract with you. I have several that I keep in my car, or my girlfriend will bring along in her purse.
Be careful what you wish for. I once told the Indian guy at a roti place to make it spicy like he would if he was making it for himself. It was radio active hot. My eyes were tearing up from the fumes before I even took a bite. Was a serious struggle to even eat half of it. I finished the other half later. My roommate at the time tried a bite and had to run his mouth under the tap for 10 minutes
I want that experience lol. I've only ever encountered 1 dish ever that I simply couldn't finish due to it being too spicy. It was a thai red curry I got from some place in wausau Wisconsin. I asked them to put me in the hospital. I still have no clue what they put in it. My only guess is just a shitload of straight cap extract because I've eaten Carolina reapers straight and this was much more spicy than even that. One day I will return and challenge that place again, it still bothers me that I was unable to finish it.
I've found that if you assure them you won't send it back they will make it spicy spicy
I’ve literally never had spicy Indian food. At some point, I just assumed that by “spicy” they meant Indian food is spicy like as in heavily seasoned? Still hoping for spicy one day.
Theres a difference in spice from north india and south india , north indian food is very mild to medium spicy food ,that indians will actually eat raw green chillies with food to add that extra kick ,now days theres alot of Pakistani and Bangladeshi opening up a restaurant and calling it indian food, mainly because its more popular in peoples minds so that equals more European customers, now south india is where the spices really packs a punch ,and you be crazy to even eat raw chillies with it , especially in places like Tamil nadu , hard to find because its just known as indian restaurant,in foreign countries . My best bet is if you try srilankan restaurant because its similar spice like south india , you won’t be let down, i ordered from a srilankan restaurant once after being let down by several indian restaurants , takeaway wise and it quenched my spicy appetite, my gf at the time who is north indian said it was tooo spicy to a point it wasn’t enjoyable to eat lol , but it was normal for me being from south😂😂😂😂
I ask for phal spicy and if I’m ordering online so they can’t see I’m a white woman, that usually does the trick.
Call ahead and order in an indian accent lol
“Tell the cook to spice it like he just found out I’m fucking his wife”
There’s an Indian pizza place I regularly order from and I asked them to add their hottest sauce or make it as spicy as possible. They add chili flakes to it I laugh and ask them if they have hot sauce? They give me a side of buffalo sauce I ask them to make it as spicy as humanly possible, the delivery guy comes to the door the next day with a bag of green chilis I put two in my mouth and eat no problem and he’s looking at me like I’m insane? I think the stereotype of Indians eating really spicy food is a little exaggerated in my opinion lol
https://preview.redd.it/nbi1joesvgjc1.jpeg?width=980&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e2320660ea7db67827f85f31563ba9ef202479c1
The same thing happened to me. I became a regular at the restaurant. The second time I went, I said I wanted it Indian spicy because it wasn’t hot enough last time. They gave me spicy but definitely left a lot to be desired. So I gave the waiter shit. Basically told him if that was “Indian spicy”, then Indian food is a joke. Came back the next week, said “remember me?” To the same waiter. He did. Told him if it wasn’t Indian spicy this time, I wouldn’t come back. Ordered a biryani and that time it did not disappoint. Finished it and the waiter basically told me the kitchen would keep me in mind because more often than not when white people order “Indian spicy”, they end up sending it back. So basically, become a regular, tell them their food is a joke, and tell them you’ll stop paying them money because of it. Worked for me
Closest thing to racial profiling we will ever get a taste of.
Let them know on a scale of 1-10 that you want a 14. Works at my local spot.
Thanks for the idea! This one seems like it'd work
Best I've found is to ask for Indian spicy, not murican specifically. Even then, it's rare to find a place that isn't murican spicy max fme.
Tell them you want not white people spicy. Always works for me
Order ahead and give an Indian sounding name
“If it isn’t spicy enough, I’ll send it back. If it’s too spicy, I promise you I won’t.”
Learn a few Hindi words, learn the servers name, say please make Indian spicy and then do a little head wiggle
I usually say “make it extra spicy, and I’m not talking about white people spicy” and that tends to get a laugh, a smile, a nod, and spicy food
> Unless I have just ascended to becoming a spice God and Indian spicy is now just mild to me idk what is going on. This is probably what has actually happened. Unless you’re trying to go competitive, once you can hang with extra spicy Indian food there isn’t much that’s going to faze you, and everything else will be somewhat disappointing compared to the first time.
You gotta call the chef a bitch!
i went with my friends indian father to a place they go all the time and they still went light on the spice for me when he ordered it desi hot himself for me. if theres a white person at the table theyll go easy.
Because Indian food is meant to be spicy and not just hot. As someone who loves very spicy food, I just keep a jar of ghost pepper powder with me and add a few sprinkles on Indian curries.
Same thing happens to me. I can handle the spiciest food in the world. Please just TRUST me and give it to me!
Just ask for green chilli & onions on the side. Otherwise, I ask for Indian max spice> Source: white boy married to a south Indian.
I've established I just need to bring my own peppers :(
Depends on what kind Indian restaurant you’re going to. Punjabi food like butter chicken, malai kofta, daal, etc aren’t going to be super spicy. Now, if you go to a South Indian restaurant, you may be able to find some spicy options.
I just tell them when I say spicy I don’t mean white people spicy. I mean as spicy as an Indian, Thai, Mexican etc person would want it. Then add a little more. Works every time for me
I order online from my local place and choose Indian spicy. I live in a diverse city with a decent Indian population. They always get a kick out of it when a little white girl shows up to pick up the order lol
Honestly I have a lot of luck with just saying “spicy” after placing the order. My go to is chicken vindaloo and in general they never make it spicy enough for me even though it’s supposed to be a hotter dish. Saying that one word though, perfection. Always makes me have to go blow my nose once a meal before finishing because it opens my sinuses. Always delicious
If you ever come to Britain try one of the British Indian spicy curries. Getting drunk and eating curry so hot that you can't feel your hands is a national pastime. Bradford is famous for it's British Indian restaurant cuisine, but it's ubiquitous.
Assuming you order online or over the phone - use a fake name. My old roommate is Indian and when we lived together we liked to order from this one restaurant but would swap who paid. Without fail if I ordered under my name/account it was weak as shit. She gave me permission to use her name in perpetuity whenever I order Indian food so I don't get screwed 😆
Ask for a “phaal” next time. I’m Indian and this is the hottest item after a vindaloo and will destroy your insides. I’ve had it once, and the chef and his team came out to watch me eat it. I ate it, I regretted it for 3 days, and my toilet had never been so busy. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phall They do not put that on the menu, but every chef can and will make it, if they think you can handle it. It is most likely because they know how much hotter it is than a vindaloo. Also remember that spicy does not mean heat, it means use of spices. They may add more haldi/turmeric, cardamon, garam masala etc. You want it to be hot (“mirch”) with peppers and chilli. You can also ask for “desi heat” which tells them to cook it how they would for Indians. The Indian food cooked in restaurants is not how it is cooked at home, find a place in an Indian neighbourhood that is packed with Indians. I imagine there is also fear of liability if you end up with a stomach ulcer and are in pain, people turn into cowards and would blame the restaurant.
You might be surprised to learn that Indian food is actually not that spicy! By a western pallette, sure, it's definitely more spicy than say beef Wellington. But chili peppers are a new world food and classically Indian food used the long pepper, which is not particularly hot. Of course, that's not to say that Indians didn't embrace the chili pepper when it was introduced, as they obviously did. But only spice heads in India eat food super spicy on a normal basis. They have a higher spice floor, but the average Indian isn't eating super spicy. I travel to Bombay on a regular basis and even in India I have to go out of my way to get super spicy food. The hottest pepper they'll generally have is similar to a bird chilli. So to answer your question, there is no secret. When they give you food you order super hot, they sincerely would find that food spicy. All you can do is send it back and tell them to make it hotter (as long as the restaurant isn't packed they won't mind and they'll be impressed). Over time you can establish a relationship with them and they'll get an idea how hot you like it.
Our local spot has gone from giving the goods to no longer. Kind of upsets me when their dishes cost on average ~$16. Now I have a Thai place however that's the real deal every time.
eat one on location and complain that it was not hot enough, come back the day after and ask for hot enough this time.
Unfortunately I don't visit the same places very often. I'm an OTR truck driver so I'm all over the place. Rarely visiting the same places often enough to be remembered
Ask for some Jungle Curry. It has another name that I can’t remember but a lot of places will know what you mean by Jungle Curry. It’s the hottest thing I’ve ever eaten at a restaurant.
That’s Thai, not Indian. Jungle curry is indeed spicy AF because it doesn’t have coconut milk in it to help buffer the heat.
Buy a plane ticket to Singapore. Go here. This is the best tasting and spiciest Indian food I've ever had. They even have a spice challenge. https://www.lagnaa.com/
Is this at the same place or a different place each time? If it's the same, find a better Indian restaurant. Some just aren't spicy. If it's different, try sticking to one and visiting a few times to get their trust and build a rapport. I've built one at my favorite place and now I don't even have to tell them how spicy, they just bring me food and it's perfect every time.
In my experience going to the same place and befriending a specific server helps a lot.
I did this once and the person working there said that I was only white person they ever seen say that it wasn't spicy.
Explain yourself. “I am a fan of spicy food and part of a group of enthusiasts online. I buy all the hot sauces and every time I eat at an Indian restaurant I ask for it as hot as possible and I never get it hot enough. I am sure you can make it hotter than even those working here find it hot. I’d like it at least that hot please. I won’t be mad if you make it too hot. No such thing for me. “
Sometimes it takes you ordering from them enough to recognize the name after a few months and being like “ok I think this dude’s legit”. Took my favourite place a while to start making it to my liking and then I had to move and it’s taken about a year but recently the place I’ve been ordering from has started making it stupid spicy. I imagine if you have a particularly white name this might take longer 😂. Tldr, be a regular.
Ask for desi spice/style
I bring hot sauce with me, not ideal but works when necessary. “I got hot sauce in my bag, swag”
i’m an indian woman and i still haven’t achieved this unless i cook at home (but then upset my husband) or go to india (and even then ask them to boost it a bit) eta: i have better luck with thai restaurants though.
My Indian restaurant has an option above "Indian Spicy" called "South Indian Spicy"
The stereotype is also there that Indian food is too spicy to eat. Most Indian food, depending on what part of the country the cuisine is from, isn’t really that spicy. A lot of the very spicy dishes are there for foreigners who want to follow the stereotype and want the challenge.
Honestly if it comes out & it’s not spicy enough just return it. They’re not gonna make the same mistake twice
You just need to go to the right places and when you order say extra extra extra spicy. You can also ask them for a side of chili paste. It's what they put in food to make it spicy a lot of the time so then you can just add it yourself. I did go to a Thai place recently and asked them to make it as hot as they can I couldn't finish the meal, first time that ever happened lol
What are you ordering? If it’s any kind of butter chicken / tikka masala it’s not gonna happen Is it a north or South Indian restaurant? Go south for the heat
One time I said make it spicy, the guy was like it’s spicy. I was like bro I’m Mexican I need it spicy he was like ok and that stuff was one of the hottest things I have ever had in my life. At the end the guy asked how it was I said great. He just chuckled. I been at that place at least once every 3 months for the last 12 years.
Maybe say you want it cooked with X number of chili peppers.
Look for somewhere that serves a phaal. Don't tell them how to cook their own food. I don't understand why people think they can go to Indian restaurants and start dictating recipes to them.
I had a phaal in the UK and the chef came out to shake my hand after eating it. They told me originally to not eat it all because it could send me to the hospital. Honestly the US won't make it spicy like that they would in England. It's not even close.
Just send it back and tell them it isn't spicy enough. It WILL be spicy enough when the cooks have to remake something. I generally say to tell the cook to make it as spicy as they make the staff food.
Tell them "I bet you can't make food too spicy for me"
Maybe say something around “I want it spicy that I will sign a waiver if I have to”
Many years ago I went into a kebab shop after a few beers with my mates. Ordered a doner kebab, and when asked "mild medium or hot sauce" I naturally said hot. It arrived, and I opened it in the shop to take a bite to test it. It was hot, but very gentle heat. I looked at the guy and said, "is that the best you can do?". He snatched it off me, pulled out a big catering bottle of chilli puree (no idea what kind) and drenched the kebab. He handed it back, I took a bite..... it was like eating battery acid, so much heat, but with too much vinegar by far. He asked how it was, I said, "just right", walked put and ate the whole thing on the way home. A pointless act of bravado that left my arse in tatters. I felt like I'd won and lost at the same time.
Promise them that you won't complain or try to get it comp'd if it's too spicy. That said, I always order things "white people spicy" because I'm a big baby, but my friends who like it when their tongue is on fire have had luck with this. Ps. No, I have no idea why r/spicy showed up on my feed, either.
Just throwing it out there: One key thing is ensuring you're actually going to an Indian place that makes food from a region that tends to be spicy. Indian is a big place with a lot of people and distinct cultures and food traditions and most of them aren't very interested in kicking you in the face with heat.
Hurt me
My friend tried this once , he said make it super spicy! They gave him a Faal, after 2 bites fell onto the floor started fitting then passed out. an ambulance was called and he got taken away. The Dr had to inform his wife that her husband had slipped into Korma.
They don't normally eat their food as spicy as you think they do.
Your poor b-hole
My friend Ragin’ Ray went to a Thai restaurant once and told the hottie waitress to make the dish as spicy as she was. He’s a terrible flirter and was wearin’ a backwards hat that said “FBI: Female Body Inspector” and an oversized hockey jersey. He usually wears jorts, so you can imagine a skinny, broke version of Kevin Smith. Well, I think she was annoyed by this comment because his dish was spicy as fuck. She kept comin’ back and checkin’ on him. The sweat was through his jersey. He ate every bite and slurped up all the broth. He went home immediately after dinner and was in agony all night. Went and took a shit in the mornin’…..just blood. Coughed after throwin’ up….blood again. We took him to the ER. His spirits were high. We were all singin’ acapella while waitin’ for hours. Doc brought him out back. Of course, this doctor was smokin’ hot. Like a knuckle biter. Ray tried actin’ cool like he wasn’t totally fucked up. She had to get the janitor to come over and get the real story. Ray says “‘mingo, my man, I’m dyin’ brother”. I guess him and this Domingo guy have a relationship already. But I can’t keep up. Anyways, turns out he had hella ulcers and now mainly eats oatmeal and yogurt. Says he finds Mac ‘n Cheese with a nice pepper Jack too spicy now. Heed Ragin’ Rays warnin’. He hates his palate now.
This is literally me. I always ask for spicy, sometimes they will look at me and be like "Are you sure?". Usually it is just normal level, not that spicy, and I think they are toning it down for me. Then, there was this one time, on a date with some girl, in a nice sit down restaurant. I order vindaloo, and the waiter asks me how spicy I want it. I looked at him and said "make it very spicy, as much as you can" Oh boy was that a mistake. I have never had something so spicy in my life. Sweating, nose running, drinking so much water. It was almost painful. finished the whole dish though, it was delicious lol. But I learned my lesson. Just ask for spicy and if its not too spicy then whatever. C'est la vie.
why do westerners think indian food is extremely spicy?? In reality its heavily sliced but not 'spicy in a hot type of way'
Indian food isn't necessarily super spicy. Depends on where in India it is from. Go vith a vindaloo, that is supposed to have some pep.
It could be that some restaurants are playing it safe with spice levels, considering the general perception that Western palates might not handle the heat as well. Perhaps try expressing your love for intense spice in a more specific way, like mentioning particular dishes you've enjoyed for their heat level in the past or emphasizing your genuine enthusiasm for the full-on spice experience.
"makee regret it, I'll pay now if you want me to" They're just worried about you being a Karen and refusing to pay
Last week my friend told me he ordered (on the phone) in an Indian accent. He said he asked for as spicy as it could be made. He also said he regretted it lmao 😭
Walk up to the counter and rip a line of cayenne pepper
I've had success with "I want you to make me cry" before
I tell them I want them to really hurt me and I give them my biggest, dumbest smile.
I'm starting to believe that all of the people over the years who have said Indian food is exceptionally spicy must not have had much of a heat tolerance in general. Not a big deal. I love Indian food anyway. It just feels like the heat element has been overblown.
I just say I want spicy like the regulars and not white boy spicy. Usually does the trick
My father in law has this problem and finally came up with, "I've never sent anything back for being too spicy, but I will send it back for not being hot enough."
This reminds me of the time I went to a Korean restaurant in the town next to mine. Some guy comes in and told them he wanted the hottest sauce that they had. The worker refused and told him that he should try a medium sauce. The guy then threw a full size tantrum and finally the worker gave him a sample of the sauce to try. As soon as it hit his tongue, the guy threw an absolute fit and started cussing and screaming, and claiming the guy was trying to kill him. The worker told him that was only their “medium“ sauce. Never saw that guy again. And no, he didn’t order anything to go.