Gecko

I love spicy food! We're leaving to Thailand in about a week, and I am so looking forward to eating great Thai food. Now I consider myself above average when it comes to heat tolerance. Ground cayenne pepper is the most frequently used spice in my kitchen. I smother my eggs with Tabasco. I sprinkle my pizza liberally with flaked hot peppers. Jalapenos - not much heat there. Serano chilis - no sweat. Dried De Arbol chilis - that's probably my heat pleasure point. Habaneros - okay, now that's just painful. So I'm curious: for those of you who have been to Thailand, just how hot is the average Thai food in Thailand? Will I meet my heat tolerance match...or will I have to humble myself and ask for less heat? As a reference point, can you also tell me if you prefer mild, medium, or hot salsa. Thanks in advance .

BillT

If your food has the little mouse shit peppers- look out - its really hot!

glorialf

Thai food can be very spicy (I also love spicy food) but it won't be in the restaurants that cater to tourists.

Hanuman

"How hot is Thai food really" - It burns your mouth when you're eating it, sweat seep out of every orifice on your head, you gasp for air and about 6 hours later it will burn when it comes out again!

All depend on what your order.

rhkkmk

thai foods come in all strengths really...for thai people they prefer very very hot stuff....like the hot stuff you describe...many restaurants ask you how hot and you can judge...pad thai is not hot all all and quite bland, but other dishes are often not edible for the western palate...
i like medium to hot salsa and there are things i cannot eat in thailand or prefer not to eat...
most of the food is fabulous

rkkwan

They can be very hot. Had the "Tung Yum Kung" soup at a little hole-in-the-wall place that opens late and caters to locals. It was hotter than any Tung Yum Kung I've had in the US or Hong Kong.

I've also been to a Thai restaurant at a small town in Northern Wisconsin. They have their stuff in 5-6 levels of hotness, and after I ordered the 2nd-to-most hot level, the owner, who's Thai, came out to make sure that I can handle it. I did manage to handle it, but it was also much hotter than most Thai food served in the US - and that's not even the hottest level they can make.

And I can handle very hot food. I'll say probably better than 99% of the regular US population.

TracyB

Isn't it Tom Yum Kung? Tom Yum Kung is a lamb hot pot I think.. I have eaten some Tom Yum Kung so hot that I almost died!! And I love hot food!! My favorite though is the glass noodle salad..In Thailand with the fresh prawns, cilentro and chili peppers, it is to die for..Yum..

TracyB

Sorry, I meant Tung Yum Kung is a lamb hot pot..We know that Tom Yum Kung is hot and sour shrimp soup..

georgiegirl

There are some dishes that are not hot just spicy with herbs such as massamun or curry. The very pepper-hot dishes are served where locals eat. Mostly larb, yum(Thai salad), kaeng ped, pad ped, etc. Also, there is a little bowl of fish sauce with hot peppers for you to season your plate like you would with salt and pepper in the USA. Try some of the restaurants where you see Thai people nibble on different dishes and have several bottles of Singha on a little cart next to the table. I call those dishes - drinking food. They are usually hot because they go better with alcohol beverage.

harzer

I can't handle even mildly spiced Thai food at all and so have had to learn to ask for food which is "mai bpet" which means "not hot". Fortunately there is quite a range of tasty mild dishes which I can enjoy.

Despite what you have said I think you may meet your match in Thailand, Gecko, when it comes to hot.

Harzer

CFW

Harzer, We like Thai flavors and spice, but not too hot. Can you recommend some Thai dishes that are not too hot? We love glass noodles. I think the Thai name is Yum Woon Sen. Is that correct. Would love help on names of dishes. Thanks.

Gecko

Thanks for all the replies! Sounds like the heat in some dishes in Thailand will be way more than I can handle....cool! I'll definitely be searching out the small local restaurants to sample food.

To Hanuman: now that's what I call a euphoric heat!

harzer

Well, CFW, I can cheat and refer to my
Trade and Travel Handbook on Thailand. Remember that they prepare dishes on the spot and can fix the heat to your requirements. Nevertheless there are some standard not-so-hot foods:

Tom ka gai = chicken in coconut milk (one of the most famous dishes of all -needs a word of advice to the cook as it can be verrry hot, as their reputation depends on how well (= how hot) they can make it.

Khao tom = rice soup with egg and pork (breakfast - mends hangovers)

Khao phat + gai(chicken)/+ muu(pork)/+ gung(prawn) = fried rice plus ....

Khao man gai = plain rice with chicken

Phak sii-u = wide noodles fried with egg veggies and meat/prawns

Gai tua = chicken in peanut sauce
Gai yang = garlic chicken

Priao waan = sweet and sour pork with veggies

Nua priao waan = sweet and sour beef

Laap = chopped meat with herbs ad spices (a favourite of my wife - but can be hot)

Pla nerng = steamed fish

Pla priao waan = whole fried fish with ginger

Avoid "som tam" and menu items with the word "prik" (not kidding) in them, because that shows enough chili is present to blow your brains out.

Some sweets:

Khao niaw = sticky rice (black rice usually) with sankhayaa (custard) or mamuang (mango) or kluay (bananas)

Kluay buat chee = bananas in coconut milk.

Well that should see you fed for a day or two.

Enjoy

Harzer

jacketwatch

Depends on the chef.

kilofoxtrot

What to do in an Emergency: Chapter 4- Accidental ingestion of chilli padi:
1) don't panic. It is not poison, you will probably live to see tomorrow with all limbs intact
2) Chilli is a spice that stimulates the taste buds in the tongue and throat. the reaction is chemical and not a 'burn'. i.e. it is not like acid burn in which tissue gets damaged and ulcerate.
3) Treatment is to dilute this chemical down by swirling the oral cavity with generous amounts of cold water. Once the water gets stained with the chilli, spit or ingest and take another big mouthful
4) sensation should subside after 5-10 minutes of this diluting procedure
5) the taste buds are then sensatized, ingest more chilli at your own personal risk. Avoid temperature hot drinks. Keep a lot of chilled water on standby.

jacketwatch

Actually I have heard from a reliable source that what makes food hot chemically binds with fat or alcohol. So if its too hot use the above two to reduce the sensation.

Hanuman

I guess that's why I'm a fat drunk!

Hic.. hic..

marmot

I agree that it's the little green guys that you really need to avoid. You find them whole in some stirfried dishes and chopped in sauces. I don't agree however that once eaten you should try to drown out the sensation with water or alcohol. The best way to counteract burning chilis is to eat something bland and starchy like rice. It's odd but hot, hot climates often generate hot, hot food and I guess the opposite can be said as well. (Look at Swedish food.) People who like spicy food like Thais, Indonesians, Indians will balance the hot, chili laden dishes with rice, vegetables and mild flavors. The secret is in the subtlety.

SidB

If you want hot/spicy food try Laosian grub. THAT IS HOT.

Alchohol or water isn't the answer. You need some dairy based fat, like yoghurt (why do you think it's so big in Indian cookery ?)

kuranosuke

gecko, from what you described in the op, i think you can handle the thai food. just say "thai hot" whenever you order the food.

for hanuman: my solution for the six hour later experiece is to eat ice cream after your hot thai meal, then while your sitting there, scream C'MON ICE CREAM!!