6 of the World’s Hottest Foods

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At Anchor Bar in Buffalo, N.Y., diners challenge each other to handle the “extreme heat” sauce, the variety that made the restaurant’s spicy chicken wings worldworld’shottest renowned. In the past, people who finished foods a bucket of those wings won a small prize. There’s a growing population of foodies who crave fiery food; some are in it for the glory, others just like the taste. Then there are those who crave the rush—spicy food is known to release endorphins, a hormone associated with happiness. The recipes for these half-dozen dishes incorporate scorching amounts of peppers and chilies, and at their best they employ high-quality ingredients as well. Sample them if you dare.

FOODIES BELIEVE WORLD’S MOST FIERY ALSO AMONG ITS TASTIEST.

CHICKEN VINDALOO, INDIA. 1

Look beyond butter chicken and tikka masala on your favorite Indian restaurant’s menu and you’ll likely see a selection of vindaloo dishes accompanied by two or three pepper symbols. Most with delicate taste buds don’t dare approach—but they should! Vindaloo is a thick curry sauce originating from the Goa region in southern India and is based on a Portuguese meat marinade. It is often prepped with caramelized onions, coconut milk, vinegar, garlic, ginger, chickpeas, lentils and more than generous amounts of fiery curry pastes, chilies and jalapeños. The traditional Goan dish includes pork, though in other parts of India and throughout the world vindaloo can also come with chicken, goat, lamb or shrimp. Many Indian restaurants in Western cultures also add veggies and potatoes to vindaloo (aloo translates to “potato” in Hindi); however, the original Goan version does not include the starchy root vegetable. Try it: Asiana Indian Cuisine, Austin, Texas

TOM YUM SOUP, THAILAND. 2

With food boasting funky flavors like dried fish, ginger and lemongrass, Thai cuisine is one of the most popular in the world. And foodies in the know—even those who sweat up a storm at the sight of peppers— can’t get enough of the country’s spiciest soup, tom yum goong. It’s believed to come from the region around the Chao Phraya River, where seafood was pulled to help create a broth. The hot-and-sour soup gets its unique taste from a healthy combination of kaffir lime leaves, lime juice, fish sauce, galangal root, lemongrass and other spices, while plenty of Thai chili peppers give it a potent heat index. For added flavor, it can be served with meats such as jumbo prawns and chicken. Try it: Jitlada, Los Angeles, California

SICHUAN HOT POT, MONGOLIA.

If you’re only familiar with hot dish, the popular Minnesota casserole, you’re in for an eye-opener. Though commonly believed to be a food from China, hot pot is a plate whose origins can be traced to Mongolia some 1,000 years ago. In its beginnings, the simmering stew was made using relatively inexpensive ingredients: vegetables, herbs, spices, proteins such as pork, chicken, fish and eggs as well as sesame, soy, chili and garlic sauces. Over time, however, cooks masked the low-cost (and sometimes low-quality) components by spicing up the recipe—literally—and adding Sichuan peppercorns. The peppercorns have a floral aroma and a spiciness that isn’t paralyzing to those with strong taste buds, though their lasting tingle on the tongue may make some mouths extrasensitive. Restaurants today have picked 3 up the spicy hot pot game, upping the ingredients to include fine Wagyu beef, Angus rib-eye and New Zealand lamb. Try it: Dragon Beaux, San Francisco, California

GRIOT,4 HAITI.

Considered one of this Caribbean country’s national dishes, it’s traditionally made with pork shoulder and fiery sauce ti malice. Depending on who’s making it (every family has its own recipe), the sauce is mainly comprised of apple cider vinegar, spicy pickled peppers, minced Scotch bonnet (sea snail) or habanero chili peppers and other herbs. Restaurants may serve it alongside a cool slaw or fried plantains, but it’s a fun dish to pick at and snack on at parties or at home. Try it: Chef Creole, Miami, Florida

WAT STEW, ETHIOPIA.

In a country known for spicy foods, this thick stew is widely considered the national dish. The traditional recipe is likely hotter than tamed-down versions served in Western restaurants, such as the chicken-laden Doro wat. Much hotter. It’s made with a fragrant paste whose flamethrower ingredient is berbere, a bright-red blend of spices including red chilies, peppercorns, turmeric, paprika and cumin. Doro wat is made with chicken, liver, gizzard and boiled eggs and is 6 often served with injera, an Ethiopian flatbread, which is used to scoop up the sauce. Try it: Ethiopic Restaurant, Washington, D.C.

SUYA, NIGERIA.

Some of the best meals aren’t created in a Michelin-starred kitchen; neighborhood cooks have a knack for flavor too. Suya, a popular Nigerian street food, originated in the country’s northern region, where the people have a mastery of meat that’s second to none. Knowing what works with beef is what makes suya so good. Before it’s skewered and grilled, the beef is flavored with yajin kuli, a blend of chilies, ginger, onion, garlic, spices and tantalizing kuli kuli, a dehydrated peanut paste. If you can’t make it to a Nigerian market, there are eateries specializing in Nigerian cuisine in the U.S.—for instance, in New York City and San Francisco. Try it: Buka, Brooklyn, New York