As a Yoruba girl, I love to eat spicy food. I believe a dish is not complete without pepper. Here are some of my favorite spicy dishes:
5. Chicken Biryani (Pakistan/India)
Biryani is rice with lots of herbs and spices mixed in it. It is very popular in the Indian subcontinent. A traditional chicken Biryani is not too oily or as spicy as the ones on this list. This dish is best served with naan, boiled egg, and Dahi chutney.
4. Braised fish (China)
Southern China especially Szechuan, Hunan, and Guizhou have one of the best spicy food and Braised fish is my favorite Szechuan dish. This dish contains braised fish, leek, Napa cabbage, and garlic, soaked in chili-based sauce. The ingredients blend in perfectly and it looks appetizing. The braised fish soaked in the soup is so tender, you can swallow it in one go. It is the first I order at a Chinese restaurant. You never go wrong with it.
3. Kimchi (Korea)
Kimchi is a versatile food; it is made from fermented cabbage and can be eaten with almost everything. It is a traditional Korean side dish but can also be served as a main dish. It can be eaten with rice, noodles, soup, and surprisingly pizza. You can use it to make fried rice (Kimchi fried rice), Kimchi stew, Kimchi dumplings, Kimchi pancake, and so on. There are other varieties of Kimchi. The most popular one is the fermented cabbage but there are also other types like Radish Kimchi, Cucumber Kimchi (Oi Sobagi), and Red Water Kimchi (Nabak).
2. Cajun crab boil (American)
Have you ever been to juicy crab? This is one of my top orders. It is not just the Crab that makes it special, it is also the side dishes like the corn, sausages, and potatoes soaked in the Cajun sauce. I order the spicy one (not surprising). This is the kind of dish you get messy with. Imagine yourself on a rainy day, sitting down and using your bare hands to eat juicy crab. Note: Using utensils to eat any crab broil is an abomination! If you finish the crab and other side dishes but the sauce is remaining, you can use it to eat rice, noodles, or drink it.
1. Pepper soup (Nigeria)
Yorubas are known to have the spiciest food in Nigeria (Yoruba is a tribe in Nigeria). You already know what to expect just from the name “Pepper soup”. The amazing part of the soup is the meat/fish (you never go wrong either way). Some people use Goat meat, Cow meat, and/ or Chicken. This dish is best to eat on a rainy or sick day, and it is best served hot. Other spicy Nigerian foods are Suya, Kilishi, Ofada rice with Ayamase stew.
Hope I did not leave your lips burning with all these spicy talks. Leave your comments below!