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There are a lot of ways dishes can end up too spicy: Maybe the recipe was developed using a milder version of a curry paste than what you ended up buying, or you used an especially spicy batch of fresh chiles, or you accidentally put in one tablespoon of hot sauce rather than one teaspoon, or you just dumped too much cayenne into your pot of chili. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
The easiest way to tone down a dish that\u2019s too spicy is to add more ingredients to lessen the proportion of the spicy element. If it\u2019s a soup or stew, try adding more liquid. Add more vegetables, protein, or starches, too \u2014 whatever ingredient you have extra of. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Dairy is great at counteracting spiciness and can add a nice cooling effect. You can add milk, sour cream, or even a dollop of plain yogurt over each serving, but beware of adding and then cooking the dairy over higher heat, as it may curdle. Coconut milk technically isn\u2019t dairy, but lends a great creaminess to dishes; plus it goes well with a lot of Asian flavors, if that\u2019s the kind of dish you\u2019re try to tone down. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Take this trick from Thai cuisine, which happily uses lots of chiles. To counteract spiciness, a lot of their dishes use a liberal amount of acid from citrus, vinegar, or even ketchup. A spoonful can really do wonders to balance out and counteract the spiciness. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Like acid, sugar or other sweeteners add a different element of flavor that can tame spiciness. This one comes with a caveat, though, as you want to add very small amounts and taste constantly so your savory dish doesn\u2019t end up tasting like dessert. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
A fun trick I\u2019ve read about is to add a spoonful of nut butter, like almond or peanut butter, to soups and stews. Apparently it will help mellow the dish out but won\u2019t be really noticeable when you eat it. Has anyone tried this trick before? <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Let\u2019s say your overly spicy dish tastes perfect otherwise, and you don\u2019t want to mess with it by adding other ingredients. My simple solution is to serve it with something bland and starchy so when eaten together, the spice is diffused a bit. Rice, pasta, crusty bread, or potatoes are all great candidates. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n