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So there's a lot of different places that let you pick the spicyness level from 1-10. To me.. it sounds ridiculous. How in the world would they be able to calibrate to that level of precision? Do they possess a special "spice-o-meter"? Or they just measure the quantity of the spice added accordingly? (hmm wait that would make sense)
I make my own curry powder. Its probably a 6 if you go by the hotness I get at the local Thai place. However, when I have friends over for dinner that like it hotter, then I just add a little fresh chile or more red pepper flakes. It goes from just beads of sweat on forehead to eyes watering.
They do it so if you go to the same place repeatedly, and you know you like it a 5-hot at this particular place for example, then it's going to be about the same level of spiciness every time you get it.
The best way to do it, is if say you're at an Indian Restaurant, and you want your Vindaloo proper spicy, say, "Please, let the kitchen/Chef know I would like it Indian Hot", the same can be said for much of the scale. A lot of kitchens tone/dumb things down, because of the pallets of the uninformed.
Same tactic can be used in your ethnic restaurant of choice. Hell, most of the servers I have said it to, LIKE that I acknowledge, and appreciate the difference between what they scale to a 10 v. what is a TRUE 10 to them.
Depending on the dish, they can bring the hot peppers/spices on the side. Then you can add to your taste. That's what they do for us at the Thai ans Indian places.
I never went any place that asked you anything more precise than hot/medium/low/no spice. And the real question to me is, when you ask for no spice, are they going to nuke you anyway? Because that happens sometimes.
Well, the 0-10 seems very scientific. Are they really measuring it with this level of precision and if so, how? Still a mystery to me. It would make sense if they use some kind of a measuring cup and add the "hot" ingredient accordingly.
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