PriyaThe world’s spiciest food destinations
If you love travelling the world and love exploring the spiciest dishes our planet has to offer this is the list for you. Furthermore, in this article, we will be sharing the world’s spiciest food destinations for you to indulge in. Travelling from India to china these fiery destinations will definitely get you into a sweat.
India
Signature Dish: Phaal Curry made from Bhut jolokia chilli peppers aka the ghost pepper.
Heat rating: Over 1 million heat units, and is 400 times hotter than Tabasco.
What is it: The Bhut Jolokia Chilli pepper is found in the Northeast of India. These chillies are so strong they have been known to be smeared on fences or made into smoke bombs to keep wild elephants away. These peppers are normally used in fresh and dry and incorporated into curries, pickles and chutneys. This small plant is packed with enormous amounts of heat and grows a few inches long. They grow into yellow, red and chocolate colours.
As well as the Phaal Curry watch out for the Goan Vindaloo. This curry has been introduced to India by the Portuguese colonist. These chilli bullets are incorporated into the paste of this curry as well as the Phaal Curry.
Hot tip: You do not want to eat these raw!
Thailand
Dish: Gaeng Som Pla or Gaeng Leung soup available in Bangkok
Heat rating: Flaming Hot
What is it: Gaeng som is a sour yellow coloured fish soup thas sure to set your mouth on fire. The paste of this soup is made from birds-eye green chillies which are aka dynamite chillies. Furthermore, these will bullets will definitely make your mouth feel like you have a ball of flame in your mouth.
The soup is a Thai comfort food and can be enjoyed by those who can handle the heat. The chilli paste tamarind, papaya, mixed vegetables and edible flowers are added to a liquid fish base. You may also find this dish made from fish eggs.
Neighbouring countries to Thailand also enjoy this dish and have incorporated it into their national cuisine. Kaeng Som is a version of this dish from Laos where lemongrass is added to the dish. Furthermore, the Malaysian version Kaeng Som no Mai Dong has pickled bamboo added.
Hot tip: Kai Yang Isanis a good side dish to have alongside made of grilled chicken and will definitely take some of the heat away.
Mexico
Dish: Ceviche made from aguachilli
Heat rating: Hot. Blazing hot if habanero chillis are used instead of jalapeños.
What is it: This dish is made from raw shrimp, lime juice, chillies, cucumber and onion. The classic version of Ceviche is made of jalapeños or serrano peppers which are ground into a sauce. The other ingredients are added to the sauce hence the name aguachilli aka chilli water. This dish is served immediately and completely raw making it different from the typical Ceviche.
If you want to spice it up more many restaurants will add habanero chillis into the sauce instead. habanero chillis are small green chillies that are seriously hot like the Indian coast chillies. These little chillies are found in many dishes throughout central and south America and can be as hot as 350 times hotter than your typical green chilli.
Hot tip: If you’re thinking of making this at home, take the seeds out to slightly lower the heat.
Indonesia
Dish: Pedas Mampus Noddles
Heat rating: Containing 150 chillies this is definitely a hot one.
What is it: This dish is distinct to a street food stall located in Jakarta. However with this being the case it has a worldwide reputation for being one of the hottest noddle dishes in the world.
Being loaded with MSG this is one of the most unhealthiest foods you can come across. The dish is the food stalls take on the instant noodle brand Indomie which is produced in Indonesia. The noodles are drenched in Cabe Rawit which is aka as chilli padi 150 birds eye chillies to be exact.
Hot tip: The restaurant where you’ll find this dish is called Abang Adek. There are a few videos online where you can get an idea of the pain you’ll induce before try.
Sri Lanka
Dish: Nai miris, pol sam-bol
Heat rating: 1 million heat units
What is it: You may think we are cheating here but Nai Miri is another name used for the Ghost chillies we talked about that are found in India and is definetly another one of the world’s spiciest food destinations. You’ll find Sri Lankan cruise to have a lot of influence from south Indian dishes.
The dish pol sambol is a dish specific to Sri Lanka and is the dish that uses nai miris. Pol sambol is normally an accompaniment to be eaten with rice, string hoppers, and rotti. Furthermore, this dish is made from scraped coconut and mixed with well-grounded dried chilis, red onion, Maldive fish aka cured tuna, lime juice and salt. Moreover, it can take a while to adjust to the flavours of this dish however it’s boasting with a number of unique flavours.
Hot tip: Eat like a local enjoy this dish for breakfast.
Korea
Dish: Nakji Bokkeum
Heat rating: Frighteningly hot
What is it: When eating Nakji Bokkeum you’ll find yourself between pleasure and pain. This stir-fried octopus dish has become a Korean delicacy. The dish is full of pungent seasonings such as chilli, garlic and pepper which can be tasted more in the dish then the octopus. Making this dis even more fierce then you would have imagined.
Nakji Bokkeum was introduced to Korean in 1965 and id relatively new to the cuisine. Moreover, its popularity has grown significantly since its birth.
Hot tip: You may want to eat this dish with shellfish soup, which helps to calm down the hotness.
Japan
Dish: Karashi Renkon
Heat rating: Very Very Hot
What is it: If you want to turn the heat up and find yourself in Japan Karashi Renkon is definitely one to try. The name of the dish is split up into two, Karashi is known as an especially hot mustard and Renkonis a lotus root which is known to be found in many Japanese dishes. This dish involves filling the Renkon with Karashi mustard and wrapped with batter. In addition, you may think this dish looks like a sweet treat but when it enters your mouth it will blow your brains out! ( not literally!)
Hot tip: Cut the Karashi Renkon into manageable slices before you eat it to take the heat away.
Jamaica
Dish: Everything marinated in Jerk seasoning
Heat rating: Flaming hot
What is it: You may have tried or even heard of jerk chicken. The word “jerk” is referred to as the method in which meat is marinated or prepared. The name has now be referred to the verb “jerking” which means making holes in the meat and adding the hot marinade to ensure it penetrates throughout. Furthermore, this method of cooking dates back hundreds of years and there are many jerk preditors all over the Caribbean.
The jerk marinade traditionally consists of two items allspice and scotch bonnet chilli peppers. These chillies are between 80-400 times hotter than a normal chilli. They may not be the hottest chilli pepper on this list but they will really pack a punch.
Hot tip: Mango salsa is a great side dish to help col own the heat.
Ethiopia
Dish: Berbere Spice Mix
Heat rating: Prickling
What is it: Rather than a dish Berbere is a spice mix. It’s been incorporated in Ethiopean cruise to such an extent that it deserves to be mentioned alone in this article. With 30 spices incorporated into this mix, it has to be one of the most complex blends of spices in the world creating this unique African flavour.
The Berbere mix is used in a variety of ways from a dry rub for meats, a seasoning in stews, lentils and grains and even in a dry powder form as a table condiment.
Hot tip: Moreover this mix is readily available outside of Ethiopia so why not mix Berbere with passata, honey and salt for a mouth-watering BBQ marinade.
China
Dish: Chongqing Hot-Pot
Heat rating: Ferocious
What is it: looking for hot food in Cina the region of Sichuan is known for some of the spiciest dishes. The city of Chongqing is the birthplace of Ferocious Sichuan hot pot the dish is now even associate with the city.
Chongqing a spicy hot soup which consists of a number of meat offcuts such as ox stomach, duck intestine and pig artery and beef tallow. In addition, the meats are then plunged into chilli and Sichuan pepper making it too hot to handle.
Hot tip: This hotpot is known to be consumed as part of a celebration in this region. Gather your friends and family and work through this friary dish together.
Enjoyed our blog on the world’s spiciest food destinations? Check out our blog on top must-eat dishes from around the world.
