Remember when chipotle chiles were the next big thing, then Sriracha? Now hot and spicy flavors and ingredients are a permanent part of the American pantry and have become entrenched in every segment of foodservice. They’re not just a trend, they’re a fact of life.
According to Technomic, in fact, more than half of all respondents in the firm’s most recent Flavor Consumer Trend Report said that they preferred “very spicy foods and sauces.” And that was two years ago, when the trend was still gathering steam. Flavor supplier Kalsec revealed in its January 2015 research that, among other thingfs, 70% of consumers choose hot/spicy options when dining out.
Pundits may hold Millennials responsible for the emphasis on tongue-tingling food, but there’s more to it than just adding ghost peppers to a burger sauce and calling it a day. Global cuisine has shown us that the manipulation of hot and spicy ingredients is just one aspect of creating flavor. Anyone who has visited Thailand, for instance, knows that sophisticated cuisine for its balanced, controlled use of not only heat but also salty, sour, sweet, bitter and umami flavors.
It takes skill and restraint to make spicy food that goes beyond the burn—it’s not just about singeing the tongue, it’s about flavor intensity with nuance. Balance is what makes spicy food taste more delicious and leave a memorable impression, not just pain.
Here’s how to do it:
• Look to the global pantry for balance; some of the most successful contemporary recipes mix culinary cultures, using products such as Korean gochujang or North African harissa to create a signature flavor experience
• Different chiles and chile-based products add different characteristics of fruitiness and flavor; experiment to find the ones that accomplish the desired effect
• “Layering” different sources of heat, such as chiles and hot sauces, adds to complexity, since these ingredients not only possess different flavors but also release sensation at different times
• Add vinegar or citrus for acidity and brightness, and also to intensify other flavors, including spiciness; wine can also add acidity
• Fermented products such as kimchi and even pickle juice can add both heat and that zing of acidity
• A bit of sweetness—not just sugar but also products like fruit or fruit juice, caramelized onions, a sweet spirit such as Madeira—will add dimension and help bring flavor into balance. Even serving spicy food with a sweetish wine, such as Riesling, will help round out the flavors
• Flavor-rounding smokiness can be provided with an ingredient such as Aleppo pepper, chiles en adobo, pimentón, toasted spices or even bacon
• Salt is important for balance in all food, and doubly so in spicy recipes. Note that some spicy ingredients can be quite salty on their own, such as certain brand of harissa and gochujang
• Adding an umami component can go a long way towards balancing heat. Miso, fish sauce, soy sauce, tomato, Maggi seasoning…. all pack a umami wallop
• There’s a reason products like yogurt, cream, coconut milk and tahini appear so often in spicy cuisine; they mellow flavors (the fat actually prevents the capsaicin molecules in chiles from binding to the VR1 pain receptors on the tongue). These ingredients also add a richer texture, mouthfeel and “cling.”
For help with menus and recipes, spicy or not, contact Synergy Restaurant Consultants.