2025/01/20 [Mon]
Curry and Spice: So, do you like curry? How about spicy curry? I used to have a zero-tolerance for spicy food when I was younger. But growing up with lots of Indian friends changed that. Whenever I went to their place for dinner, I’d suffer through the meals—though only the heat, since the food itself was always delicious! They’d give me milk or yogurt to help with the burning sensation after I finished eating. They’d laugh and say I didn’t have to force myself, but I was amazed at how tasty the food was despite the pain. What really blew my mind was when they mentioned the food was made LESS spicy just for me!
Family Cooking: At home, my parents’ cooking never had anything painfully spicy. We had flavorful dishes but not spicy ones. Colombian cuisine, for example, uses a variety of spices but isn’t necessarily spicy. I can’t remember eating anything remotely spicy growing up. So, discovering new cuisines was interesting, especially ones that fought back. This got me curious and eager to improve my spice tolerance to match my friends’. Over the years, I got better at eating spicy foods simply by trying out different cuisines. It reached a point where I started challenging myself with the spiciest options. Sometimes, it was a grave mistake, but I’d push through to finish as much as I could, even if my stomach regretted it the next day.
Understanding Spice: There are different kinds of spice—some that are just painful and others that are flavorful. Spiciness is often measured by Scoville units. For instance, a habanero pepper can range from 100,000 to 350,000 SHU, while Tabasco sauce has around 2,000 to 5,000 units. I discovered a Costa Rican hot sauce brand in Japan called Death Sauce, with different blends ranging from 50,000 to 1,000,000 units. These sauces are mostly painful without much flavor. There’s also an American equivalent called Da Bomb, which is 135,000 units but feels like a killer for almost everyone. Sometimes, using the Scoville scale to judge spiciness isn’t accurate, as it depends on the pepper’s amount and concentration. I’ve found hot sauces with 1,000,000 Scoville units to be mild and flavorful, while Da Bomb always makes me sweat immediately.
Curry Challenges: In Japan, there’s a curry chain called CocoIchi. I tried every spice level there, at least back when 10 was the maximum level. Anything below 6 is great for tasting the flavor difference, but beyond that, it just tastes like chili powder. Despite this, I’d continue ordering level 10. It’s always fun to see people’s reactions when you order something spicy. At restaurants, they’d often warn me about the heat and watch to see my reaction. They must enjoy seeing how people handle the spiciness. Recently, CocoIchi raised their maximum spice level from 10 to 20! I need to find time to challenge this new level. Level 10 is supposedly 24 times spicier than level 1, while level 20 is 48 times spicier. I’m confident with level 10, but level 20 must be something else!
Recent Curry Adventure: Recently, I went to an Indian restaurant in Keiyaki Plaza. I heard their level 5 curry was pretty spicy, so I challenged myself with level 6—the hottest. The curry was fantastic, with lots of flavor that paired well with the cheese naan I ordered. The meal even came with a cheap lassi to help with the spice. However, I didn’t find it particularly spicy. At least I found a new curry spot to enjoy if I’m ever in the area.
Your Spice Preferences: How about you? Do you like spicy food? Do you challenge yourself with new levels of heat, or do you prefer mild or sweeter options? There’s no right answer as long as you enjoy your meal. I know I do!
