Want to test the limits of your taste buds? Eat spicy food, but not the typical spiced chicken you order at your favorite fast food. The world is filled with the spiciest dishes made by different cultures, and if you’re a real spice head, then look for these 11 dishes when you travel. They aren’t just spiced with red hot chili peppers; instead, some of the world’s spiciest peppers have been added for your (in)convenience.
11. Tortas Ahogadas (Mexico)
In the streets of Guadalajara, Mexico, you’ll spot a sandwich that’s drenched with chili sauce. That’s the Torta Ahogada, which is a regional food made out of birote bread and filled with carnitas, which is fried pork. The sandwich is then submerged in tomato red sauce that’s been infused with dried and fresh chili peppers. The heat level varies according to the place where you get them.
10. Buffalo Wings with Carolina Reaper Sauce (USA)
Buffalo wings are spicy enough for some; what more if you submerge them in the world’s hottest peppers? These wings are drenched in a concoction made out of Carolina Reaper, which is a pepper that features 1.64 million Scoville Heat Units (SHU). Many restaurants in the US offer them with waivers you need to sign before ordering.
9. Jerk Chicken (Jamaica)
The Jamaican Jerk Chicken is one spicy dish that’s the pride of Caribbean cuisine. The jerk marinade is spiked with a serious blend of allspice, thyme, and fiery Scotch bonnet pepper. It has a Scoville rating of 100,000 to 350,000 SHU with a fruity heat taste that’s balanced with smoky chicken. The preparation involves the meat being marinated for hours or overnight to allow the flavor to develop.
8. Kimchi Jjigae (Korea)
This red stew called Kimchi Jjigae is a comfort food for many Koreans. It’s made of fermented kimchi, tofu, porl, and vegetables made into a spicy stew. The heat comes from the gochugaru or Korean red pepper flakes used in the kimchi, plus the kimchi ferments. The longer the kimchi is fermented, the more sour and spicy it gets. It’s served in a stone pot to keep the stew bubbling and hot throughout the meal.
7. Papa a la Huancaína (Peru)
This Peruvian dish comes off as creamy and cheesy in appearance, but don’t let that fool you. The Papa a la Huancaína features boiled yellow potatoes that are smothered in spicy cheese sauce. The heat comes from the aju amarillo, which is a yellow chili pepper native to Peru. It has a Scoville rating of 30,000 to 50,000 SHU. The sauce is made of a blend of queso fresco or fresh cheese, evaporated milk, crackers, and the aji amarillo peppers for that creamy consistency. They’re served with hard-boiled eggs, olives, and lettuce.
6. Nashville Hot Chicken (USA)
Nashville Hot Chicken isn’t your typical chicken you order. Originating from Nashville, Tennessee, the chicken is fried and coated in a spicy paste made with cayenne pepper with a Scoville rating of 10,000 to 100,000 SHU. If you’re not convinced, then many restaurants offer the extreme versions where they add some of the world’s hottest peppers like Carolina Reaper. It’s typically served with white bread and pickles to help through the heat.
5. Buldak Korean Fire Chicken (South Korea)
Buldak translates to fire chicken, which was more of a modern South Korean dish that hit the world by storm. The dish features a chicken that’s brutally marinated with spicy sauce made of gochugaru, gochujang (Korean chili paste), and other spices. There’s an instant noodle version that features a Scoville rating that ranges from 4,404 to over 13,000 SHU for the 3x spicy version. They’re often served with cheese or topped with mozzarella to help with the heat.
4. Sichuan Hot Pot (China)
The Sichuan Hot Pot is a communal meal in China where diners cook their own ingredients in a spicy bubbling broth. The spice comes from red chilies, while the numbing taste comes from málà produced by Sichuan peppercorn. The broth is made of a base of beef tallow, chili oil, and spices like star anise, fennel, and garlic. Diners then add their choice of meats, vegetables, tofu, and noodles to cook them in the spicy broth.
3. Laal Maas (India)
Coming from the royal kitchen of Rajasthan, Indi is the Laal Maas or fiery red meat curry traditionally prepared for warriors. The vibrant red color comes from Mathania chilies, which are a variety of chili that you get from the region. They’re traditionally made with mutton or goat meat and cooked with yogurt, garlic, and a blend of spices like coriander, cumin, and cloves, served with bajra roti (flatbread) or rice.
2. Vindaloo (India)
Mistaken as spicy curry, the Vindaloo originated in the Goa region of India. It has Portuguese roots and was originally preserved meat in vinegar and garlic marinade. Today, they’re known for the heat that comes from a dried red chili pepper and black pepper blend. It features a Scoville rating of up to 250,000 SHU with a dish made of pork or lamb, or chicken. The meat is marinated for hours or overnight to allow the spices and vinegar to tenderize the meat.
1. Phaal Curry (United Kingdom)
Referred to as the world’s hottest curry, the Phaal Curry is actually a British-Asian creation that was born out of a desire for hotter curry. It has a Scoville rating of 1.2 million SHU as it’s made with a large amount of ghost peppers or Bhut Jolokia and hot chilies. Diners are required to sign waivers before they’re allowed to order. The curry is made out of a tomato base with a blend of 10 different peppers. It’s often served with rice or naan bread and a side of yogurt for the intense heat.
