Have you added too much chilli in your food by mistake, making it unpalatable?
If the answer is yes, then you are at the right place. In this article, we will tell you how you can overcome the spiciness in any food.
Although once added, the spices cannot be removed, you can tone it down by some easy hacks.
Tip#1: Add more ingredients
The easiest way to tone down a dish that’s too spicy is to add more ingredients to lessen the proportion of the spicy element. If it’s a soup or stew, try adding more liquid. Add more vegetables, protein, or starches, too — whatever ingredient you have extra.
Tip#2: Add dairy
Dairy is great at counteracting spiciness and can add a nice cooling effect. You can add milk, sour cream, or even a dollop of plain yoghurt over each serving, but beware of adding and then cooking the dairy on high heat, as it may curdle. Coconut milk technically isn’t dairy, but lends a great creaminess to dishes; plus it goes well with a lot of Asian flavours if that’s the kind of dish you’re trying to tone down.
Tip#3: Add acid
Take this trick from Thai cuisine, which happily uses lots of chillies. To counteract spiciness, a lot of their dishes use a liberal amount of acid from citrus, vinegar, or even ketchup. A spoonful can really do wonders to balance out and counteract the spiciness.
Tip#4: Add a sweetener
Like acid, sugar or other sweeteners add a different element of flavour that can tame spiciness. This one comes with a caveat, though, as you want to add very small amounts and taste constantly so your savoury dish doesn’t end up tasting like dessert.
Tip#5: Add nut butter
It’s a fun trick that will mellow down any dish while increasing its flavour. From almond to peanut butter, you can add any butter to any of the curries. They will not only increase the flavour but accentuate and improve the richness of the dish as well. The fun fact is that no one will be able to guess the nut butter in the dish.
Tip#6: Serve with bland, starchy foods
Let’s say your overly spicy dish tastes perfect otherwise, and you don’t want to mess with it by adding other ingredients. The simple solution is to serve it with something bland and starchy so that when eaten together, the spice is diffused a bit. The best bet is to serve the dish with rice, pasta, crusty bread, or even a side of potatoes.
