Mexico is, by far, among those with the hottest foods and can carry the title of the spiciest food in the world. After all, Mexico is the cradle of the chili pepper, and there is a lot of pepper cultivation and use of pepper in their foods.
Capsaicinoids, the natural compound in peppers, are responsible for the heat sensation when eating pepper. Do not get it wrong; chilies are not all about the heat; they also add great flavor to Mexican dishes. Even specific Mexican food here in Woodbridge, VA calls for specific chili to make them spicier.
Where It All Began
French cooking influenced the origin of Mexican dishes during the late 19th century, but the strange thing is these frenchified dishes do not contain pepper. Eating spicy foods is more of a habit that you learn over time.
Young children do not take spicy foods until they can handle the food that teenagers and other adults are taking. Even so, there are Mexican natives that will go through their lives having not felt the heat of chili pepper.
Not All Mexican Dishes Are Hot Though!
Every day, fare foods like grilled meats, rice, soups, fried fish, garlic shrimp and pasta are usually free of capsaicin that garnishing the dish and accompanying it with sauces just does the trick. Other Mexican dishes vary in the amount of capsaicin depending on the one and for whom you are cooking.
The good thing is you can tone down extremely hot dishes by accompanying them with foods such as beans and sour or sweet cream.
Everyone can enjoy Mexican food regardless of whether they refer mild or hot chili peppers. If you enjoy spicy foods, Mexican dishes will give you a heyday, and if you are hardcore to pepper, you can always add more capsaicin with chili-based condiments and sauces.