Some people may tell you how delicious these 18 foods can be, but we're having a hard time getting to the flavor underneath all the spice! Take a look at these extremely spicy dishes from around the world and see if you would be daring enough to try them.
Note: The content of this article does not reflect the Writer’s personal beliefs.
Vindaloo
Of course, an Indian dish makes the top of the list. And for good reason too.
Although not India’s spiciest dish, Vindaloo is pretty much up there. A pork curry that is made by mixing a spicy blend of red chilies, garlic, ginger, and other spices until it thickens.
The dish can be made with varying degrees of heat, but some are so spicy that they’ve made people cry.
Som tum
Thailand is one of the few places in the world that’s known for its spicy food.
And som tum is one that is so spicy, even the natives have a hard time handling it. Som tum is a salad, but don’t take it lightly. Fresh papaya, fish sauce, lime juice, and spiciest Thai chilies are mixed together and served hot.
Some chefs add a little bit of sweetness to cut through its heat, but that only worsens the pain for your taste buds.
Phaal curry
Phaal curry is a spicy dish that originated from Indian restaurants in the UK.
The dish is your average Indian curry; only it’s much, much spicier and filled with scorching spices that will make even the sassiest Indian cry. The dish is so spicy that it has made first-timers extremely sick, so beware.
And would you believe us if we told you it’s still not India’s spiciest dish? Oof, now that’s an unmatched level.
Laab moo
Once more, Thailand is holding the reins.
Laab moo is a pork salad, and yet once again, it’s one of the spiciest dishes in the country. The salad is made by mixing minced pork, heaps of green and other Thai chilies, including bird’s eye, and a little bit of herbs.
The spicy salad prompts most people to run to the nearest water fountains, or run for the hilltops, screaming their heads off.
Rendang
Hop on a plane to Indonesia, and you’ll find this delectable dish.
Rendang is an appetizing beef stew, slow-cooked in ginger, red chilies, herbs and lemongrass. Sounds pretty amazing, right? Well, it is, which is why many eaters bear the pain its heat brings.
The spice can be lowered by adding coconut milk, but it barely takes away its cutthroat heat.
Doro wat
Bring your bucket of water; we’re getting serious here.
Doro wat is an Ethiopian chicken stew. But here’s a catch: it’s made with berbere, a deadly spicy blend that has even the strongest spice lovers ducking for cover. And no, this isn’t an exaggeration.
Berbere includes cayenne, garlic, cinnamon, paprika, red chilies, and basically every other spice Ethiopians can lay their hands on, so imagine the spice.
Crying tiger steak
When a dish is named something like this, you’d better take it seriously.
Originating from Thailand, the crying tiger steak is grilled beef topped with a spicy sauce. Pretty simple, right? Only it’s marinated with bird’s eye chilies, in addition to other spices and herbs. Yep, that’s a painful kick.
The dipping sauce is no joke, either. It also contains spices and other chilies, which only adds pain to the dish.
Bun bo hue
This Vietnamese dish might make you faint.
Bun bo hue is a noodle soup, but don’t take it lightly. Beef broth is infused with lemongrass and a blend of various spices and chilies and then cooked until it thickens. But hold on; there’s more.
A thick paste made solely from chilies is then added to the soup, which can make it even spicier than some Indian delicacies. Ouch.
Szechuan hot pot
China has nailed the pain and terror of spice, and it shows in this dish.
You know how foods feel spicier the hotter they are? Szechuan hot pot takes it as a challenge. The dish is your average broth, only seasoned with ground Szechuan peppercorns, one of the spiciest peppers in the world.
To add salt to injury, the dish is constantly heated to keep the burning sensation alive. Fun.
Korean fire noodles
Korea has a lot of spicy dishes, but fire noodles take the cake.
Although instant noodles, this snack is no joke. Not only is it loaded with spice, it comes with a hot paste that gives the soup a vibrant red color so intense that it stains your fingers.
The noodles contain Korean red chili peppers, which are impossibly hard to bear. It’s truly one for the heat lovers.
Laal maas
Head to Rajasthan in India, and you’ll probably feel paralyzed by the spice.
Laal maas is a lamb curry, but one that’s loaded with red chilies, local spice mix, and herbs. The spicy dish delivers a painful punch that even the strongest run away from. The only thing that makes it slightly tolerable is yogurt, but it barely helps.
Of course, the yogurt barely helps and has first-timers crying and pleading with the gods.
Bhut jolokia curry
Some say phaal curry is the spiciest dish in the world, but this says otherwise.
Bhut jolokia, or ghost pepper, is one of the spiciest peppers in the world. You can probably tell where this is going. The curry exclusively uses the chili, in addition to other variations.
Legend says it can get so spicy, that people can’t even finish the dish. Are you really ready to take on the heat?
Griot
Griot is traditionally made with pork shoulder that is marinated in an orange sauce. The pork is braised and then smothered in an extremely hot Haitian sauce made from habanero peppers, apple cider vinegar, and pickled peppers.
It is one red hot, meaty dish that many people can't handle.
Sik Sik Wat
Sik Sik Wat is an Ethiopian dish that is full of peppers and lots of spicy flavors. The chicken stew is made with chili peppers, paprika, and fenugreek. It is typically served with thin crepe-like pancakes to soak up all the sauce. Not a drop of the spicy sauce is wasted!
Egusi Soup
This Nigerian soup is sure to catch your mouth on fire. It is made with scotch bonnet peppers that turn the melon seed soup into something very powerful.
The thick, creamy soup also has lots of meat, seafood, and potatoes to help cool the heat. But we aren't sure that anything could tone down all those peppers in every bowl!
Naga Chilli Sauce
If you want to add some heat to just about any food, try using naga chili sauce as a condiment. Naga chilies are from Bangladesh and are one of the hottest peppers out there. They are about 10 times hotter than a habanero!
The chili sauce is pickled so it will have a tangy flavor along with all the heat. Add it to chicken wings, curry, or stirfry but be sure to use just a little- it is insanely spicy!
Papa a la Huancaina
This super spicy food is pretty deceiving. The light yellow sauce looks creamy and sweet. But get ready for a massive wave of heat to hit your mouth after just one bite.
The sauce is made from spicy chili peppers mixed with cheese and then served on top of potatoes. At least the mild potatoes will help cool down your mouth!
Jjambbong
This noodle soup from Korea will knock your socks off with heat. The pork broth has dried anchovies, seaweed, and a whole lot of gochugaru chili pepper.
And as you may have guessed it's the super spicy gochugaru that gives this dish all of its heat. Some people add chili oil, just to make the heat even more intense. While we might like the noodles and the occasional pieces of seafood in the broth, the chili peppers are way too intense.
More for You
14 Foods People Don't Really Like. Why are we all pretending to like these 14 foods? Nobody really likes them or finds them remotely appetizing. We all just think that we are supposed to like them. So we eat, fake smile and still feel hungry afterward as we can only stomach a few bites of these gross things. So, can we all stop it? Can we all go back to eating foods we truly like and ditch these nasty things? Let's do it together!
This article was first published at Spatula Desserts.
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