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Are people who can’t take spicy food ‘not Asian enough’?
For those of us who can’t take the heat, take heart in knowing that there is more to spice than the tear-inducing chilli.
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Given the myriad ways chilli is found in Asian food, it is easy to jump to the conclusion that there is something intrinsically Asian about spicy food.
ST ILLUSTRATION: CEL GULAPA
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I’m the only person in my family who enjoys spicy food. And this means that whenever I plan meals with them – whether at home or outside – I’m well accustomed to stepping around various minefields.
“Is this spicy?” is a question that is asked repeatedly at the dinner table. I often find myself looking at dishes on menus, wondering if they came with a sprinkling of chilli flakes, or some sort of hidden spice that would not only spoil my husband’s appetite but also trigger my four-year-old son into refusing to eat anything on his plate.
