Sugar, vinegar, lemon juice or sour cream can tone down the heat if you added too much pepper.
The hot bite of spice is often desired in a variety of dishes around the world. From Thai to Mexican, pepper is added not only for flavor in a dish, but also for spiciness that can burn the tongue, which is an end result not always desired by cooks. Heat can be moderated when acid and sugar is combined. The fat in dairy products can also tone down the effects of capsaicin, which is the part of the pepper responsible for its fiery heat. When combining ingredients with these properties, a spicy disaster can be averted.
Instructions
1. Add 1 tsp. of lemon juice or vinegar to the dish that is too spicy. Continue to add 1 tsp. at a time until the pepper is no longer overpowering the dish's flavor.
2. Pour 1 tsp. sugar at a time into the peppery dish. Be careful to only add enough sugar to tone the heat down. Otherwise, the sugar will make your dish too sweet.
3. Pour in 2 to 3 tbsp. of sour cream or milk into the dish. Not only will this mellow the spiciness, it will also add another element of flavor.
4. Add more sour cream or milk to the dish as needed, adding 2 to 3 tbsp. at a time.
5. Serve the dish with yogurt on the side to allow the guest to moderate their own level of spiciness.
Tags: sour cream, cream milk, lemon juice, sour cream milk, tone down