Cooling a too-hot dish
Capsaicin is the compound in chilies that triggers the heat receptors on your tongue. Sugar or honey makes the burn feel milder without removing the chili flavor. That's why hot honey tastes hot but not harsh.
Why milk stops the burn
Milk helps two ways. Its fat dissolves capsaicin, and its protein, casein, pulls capsaicin off your tongue. Full-fat milk, yogurt or ice cream beats skim. Hold a sip in your mouth a few seconds before swallowing.
Test yourself
Questions from the interactive lesson, with the answer and the why.
Your curry is too hot and your guests are sweating. What helps most?
Stir in coconut milk or yogurt. Capsaicin dissolves in fat, and dairy protein binds it. Sugar can soften what's left.
True or false: Water is the best way to stop the burn after eating a hot chili.
False. Capsaicin is oily and does not dissolve in water, so milk, yogurt or another fatty food works better.
What went wrong? You add water to a too-hot salsa. It turns thin and is just as spicy.
Water thins the salsa but does not dissolve capsaicin. Capsaicin doesn't dissolve in water, so the heat stays. Add tomato, avocado or sugar instead.
Fill the blank: Capsaicin dissolves in fat and ___, but not in water.
Capsaicin dissolves in fat and alcohol, but not in water. Capsaicin dissolves in alcohol, as it does in fat.
You want to cut the heat of a jalapeno before cooking. What do you remove?
The white ribs that the seeds sit on. Most capsaicin is in the white ribs, so removing them makes the pepper milder.
