Hot Chilli/Curry!

[poppetxx]

I've heard that when your mouth burns whilst eating a curry/chilli, it's best to avoid water as this only makes it hotter! does anyone know what's recommended to cool your mouth down?

[Clanad]

The substance in chiles that cause the burn (capsaicinoids) are not soluble in water. they are, however, soluble in oils and fats. Therefore, drinking milk products or eating ice cream will help. Some evidence suggests they are soluble in alcohol, but the amount of alcohol necessary to lessen the effects causes more problems than the lingering burn...

[alfiebrady]

If you're eating in an Indian restaurant, ask for a lassi - a yoghurt drink.

[alijangra]

Eat something starchy like a piece of bread or some plain rice.

[Champagne]

Natural yoghurt or milk.

[rhona_j]

Agree with the glass of milk, or piece of bread, although I do remember someone saying a spoonfull of sugar! Maybe the sweet counteracts the spice? Or maybe they were pulling my leg!

[zara 4]

I was always told a hot drink,not cold one!!

[unruliejulie]

I was always led to believe a cup of Tea is good for that! never tried it myself though

[boobesque]

i was always told a banana is good and thats what i eat after a particularly hot curry!

[beerbelly]

If you dont want you'r mouth to burn , why eat a hot curry in the first place ??
The hotter the better ,bring it on .

AAAAAAAGH ........b...b

[unruliejulie]

beer belly, you're my kind of (real)man!!!!!! lmao

[spudqueen]

I have heard that eating sugar is supposed to really help. Not tried it myself though. I usually try not to drink during the meal at all (it cools your mouth down for a second but then makes the rest of the meal feel even hotter!) and have a natural yoghurt at the end of the meal.

[poppetxx]

Thanks everyone for your help! i'll be trying all these methods one by one! Cheers again :0)

[rhona_j]

So glad someone else said sugar, was starting to think I had imagined it.

[butterfly23]

beerbelly - the point of a curry isn't to eat it as hot as possible, in fact the best curries are those in which the chilly compliments the other spices not overrides it so you cant even taste anything else.

Plain boiled rice is also good for calming mouthburn - must be the starch, as is plain cucumber, plain yogurt or yogurt with sugar. The worst thing you can possibly do is have a fizzy drink!

[Kay]

You wont beat a hot cuppa as the others say:-))

[Cinnabon]

Being of Indian origin I was always told to eat Plain Yogurt and thats what we tell kids to eat with curry to wean them on to the taste. Try yogurt with grated cucumber (raitha) for an even cooling effect!

[*kizzy*]

It was on Brainiac (great children's science programme). They did some tests and milk was the best drink to cool your mouth down.

[veritymoon]

sugar works great

[poppetxx]

brill... thanks everyone. i think dairy's the way forward!!!

ta x