World's best spicy dishes owe their heat to hot peppers & bold flavors. Ghost peppers, Scotch bonnets, Sichuan peppercorns & more pack a punch!
Nigeria's Egusi soup is made with pounded egusi melon seeds, meat, seafood, and veggies. Scotch bonnet pepper gives it heat, while yams balance it out.
Chongqing hot pot from China is made with duck, seafood, chicken, pork, lamb, veggies & a spicy broth of Sichuan peppercorns & dried peppers.
Som tam salad from Thailand uses shredded unripe papaya, long/green beans, tamarind juice, dried shrimp, fish sauce, sugar cane paste & bird’s eye chiles.
Piri-piri chicken from Angola and Mozambique has marinated poultry cuts in chiles, olive oil, lemon, garlic and herbs like basil and oregano for a spicy flavor.
Chairman Mao's braised pork belly, Mao shi hong shao rou from China, is a sweet and savory dish made by braising pork belly in soy sauce, dried chiles and spices.
Jamaican cuisine uses Scotch bonnet pepper in many dishes like escovitch fish, pepper pot soup, and jerk chicken/pork. The peppers come in different colors indicating their level of spiciness.
Ayam betutu is a Balinese and Lombok whole chicken dish stuffed with aromatic spice paste, including chile peppers, galangal, shallots, garlic and turmeric.
Buffalo chicken wings are an American classic, typically made with drumettes and wingettes, and served with blue cheese or ranch dip.
Shrimp aguachiles from Sinaloa, Mexico, uses chiltepín peppers for spiciness. Marinate raw shrimp with lime juice, cilantro, red onion and cucumber, then serve with tostadas.
Pad ka prao, a Thai street food classic, is a spicy and satisfying dish made with ground pork, Thai chiles and holy basil. Best topped with a fried egg.