Living in Malaysia my whole life, I have adapted to our local culture as well as the food here. In Malaysia, since we have multiple races and cultures, we will inevitably add some spiciness to our meals.
Maybe because of this, I have grown to be fond of spicy food. Suddenly, non-spicy food has become bland to me.
Due to the Malay and Indian cultural influences in our food, we have a variety of spicy food in Malaysia. Furthermore, it is not difficult at all to find other spicy cuisines in Malaysia.
So, for those who love spicy food just as much as I do, today is a special day! Every year on the 16th of January, it’s the International Hot and Spicy Food Day.
Today is the day where all spicy food lovers gather to go all out for their love of hot and spicy food!
The History Of International Hot and Spicy Food Day
Archaeologists have found out that people had been using spicy herbs and spices in their cuisines and daily meals for the last six thousand years.
If you thought that spicy food first originated from India, then think again. It was believed that spicy ingredients originated from Mexico, most notably chillies. It was not until someone brought chillies from Mexico to India and other Asian countries, that spicy Asian food was invented.
Spicy food started to grow and became popular in India since the arrival and introduction of chilli peppers. From there, we have all the famous curry and spicy recipes such as Chettinad, Laal Maas, Rishta, Daal and so on.
The Level Of Spiciness In Food
There is a measurement for the level of spiciness; it is also known as the Scoville scale. This measurement was named after the creator, and it is the basic measurement to measure the spiciness and pungency level od spicy food.
Here is an example of the spicy levels of common ingredients used in our daily meals. The range from the least spicy to extremely spicy is vast and as followed:
Least spicy: Bell peppers
Moderately spicy: Jalapeno, cayenne pepper, Tabasco pepper
Slightly above average spicy: Habanero, Scotch Bonnet, chocolate habanero
Extremely spicy: Pepper X, Dragon’s Breath
According to research, certain spiciness in our food is beneficial for our health. It can help to boost our immune system as well as lower the risk of us getting heart attacks and strokes.
Furthermore, eating spicy food can boost our metabolism and decrease our sugar cravings. This is helpful for those who want to stay in shape.
Where Can You Find Spicy Food In Malaysia?
Spicy food in Malaysia is widespread. You can find it just by stepping out of your house door. From breakfast to lunch and dinner, we can find all sorts of spicy food in our midst!
Here are some recommendations for local spicy food:
- Spicy Lemak (Beach Street)
- Kunyit Spicy
- Spicy Korean Chicken
- Chennai Spice Restaurant
- Indian Spices Food
Other than that, you may try to cook some curry on your own at home. It’s easy to make as it’s easy to get different spice powders and herbs in local department stores and markets.
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