5 Foods that can balance out excess spice in curries - Times of India (2024)

FAQs

5 Foods that can balance out excess spice in curries - Times of India? ›

Adding curd, milk or buttermilk is a nice way to dilute the spice quotes of curries. This also helps in adding a rich texture and delicious taste to the curries. Starchy foods like rice, bread, and potatoes can help dilute the spiciness of curry.

Lemon juice, lime juice or vinegar can take away some of the intensity of chilli heat. HelloFresh's Recipe Development Manager, Mimi Morley, recommends tasting your curry sauce after you've made it, but before you serve, as you may want to add a pinch of sugar afterwards to balance out the tartness.

Squeeze in some citrus juice or add a splash of vinegar to balance the spice level. Starchy ingredients like cooked potatoes, rice, or bread can help absorb excess spice. Add cooked potatoes or rice to the curry to soak up some of the spiciness.

You can add dairy: heavy cream, yogurt, cheese, etc. You can add something sweet: coconut milk, sugar, syrup, etc. You can introduce an acid: lemon juice, a little vinegar, tomato paste, etc. You could simply add more of the other ingredients that went before the spice, so the proportions are more in line.

Adding a pinch of sugar or ketchup can counteract the spiciness. Starchy foods like potatoes or rice can absorb heat. Acidic ingredients like lemon juice, lime juice, or vinegar can cut through the spiciness.

Add 1-2 spoons of lemon juice to any dish prepared with vegetables and cook it for a few minutes on low flame and it will bring down the hot spicy taste of garam masala. Cashew or almond paste can also be used to balance the taste of garam masala in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes.

You could remove the whole spices after heating them in oil, package them up into a bundle, and put them back into the simmering sauce to steep further. Or, as J pointed out in comments, you could simply omit them after removing them from the oil, because most of the flavor will have already gone into the oil.

Adding dairy is an ideal way to dull down the heat in hot spicy food. Try serving spicy curries with a dollop of plain yoghurt or serve that spicy soup with a hearty pour of cream or sour cream. Another method to counteract spiciness in a dish is to add a squeeze of acid such as lime or lemon juice, even vinegar.

Remember how we said capsaicin is an alkaline molecule? Balancing it with an acid can help neutralize the molecule's activity. This means drinking or eating something acidic — such as lemonade, limeade, orange juice or a tomato-based food item or drink — may also help cool your mouth down.

What is the Indian food that is not so spicy? ›

Korma is probably known best for being a mild Indian dish and it is usually the dish that people turn to when they don't like spice. Although it is mild, a Korma is never bland. This curry dish is usually made with chicken or lamb which is cooked in coconut milk, cream or yoghurt sauce with some mild spices.

Peanut, almond, or cashew butter are all rich in fat and can help dissolve capsaicin and mitigate some of the heat from chiles. If you're hesitant to add fat, you can also dilute the heat of a curry or stew by adding more water.

Remember how we said capsaicin is an alkaline molecule? Balancing it with an acid can help neutralize the molecule's activity. This means drinking or eating something acidic — such as lemonade, limeade, orange juice or a tomato-based food item or drink — may also help cool your mouth down.

Citrus-scented cleaners and deodorizers work well to neutralize curry odor, as the acidity present in lemon counteracts the vaporized cooking oils. So, when you can, reach for citrus-based cleaners and lemon essential oil to improve results.

You can make a curry less spicy by adding coconut milk, cream, yoghurt, or sour cream to your curry dish while cooking. These cooling ingredients aim to reduce the heat of your curry by spreading out the spice. Coconut milk is best used in coconut-based curries to complement the flavours.