How To Choose The Right Spice Level For Yourself At Thai Restaurants

If you're a fan of spicy food, you've likely experienced the intense and aromatic flavors of Thai cuisine. Thai food is renowned for its harmonious balance of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavors through the brilliant combination of chili peppers, garlic, ginger, and other herbs, largely due to its integration of Eastern and Western ingredients. The origins of Thai cuisine dates back to over 1,400 years ago during the period when people from modern China began to migrate to the region of Thailand. After discovering the Americas in the late 1600s, Portuguese explorers brought chili peppers from South America to Thailand, altering the trajectory of the country's cuisine forever. 

Chili peppers were incorporated into various dishes around the country for their unique flavor and gut health benefits. Since those first days of experimentation with spicy chilis, Thai food has actually toned down the heat. Today, there are plenty of popular spicy Thai dishes like Gaeng Som (yellow curry) and Kuay Tiew Mu Tom Yum, which are made with a variety of chili peppers, such as bird's eye chili, spur chili, and serrano chili.

One of the most exciting (and sometimes intimidating) aspects of eating at a Thai restaurant is choosing the right level of spice for your meal. Whether you're a seasoned spice enthusiast like myself or new to the vibrant world of Thai food, understanding how to select your spice level is crucial to making your dining experience more enjoyable and, of course, safe.

Thai spice is categorized into a scale of zero to five to indicate the level of spice in their dishes, with zero being no spice at all and five being Thailand's most adventurous level of heat. This scale may vary depending on where you dine, so be sure to communicate your specific preferences with your server. This scale system allows individuals to customize their food according to their preferences so heat lovers, spice-averse folks, and everyone in-between can all enjoy the delectable flavors Thai food has to offer. 

Despite Thai meals being significantly toned down in spice over the years, it can be easy to misjudge Thailand's extreme emphasis on heat. If you're new to Thai food or trying a new restaurant, it might be best to start at a mild level. Stick with zero if you aren't a fan of spiciness. If you're curious to experiment with spicy food but don't know where to start, a one offers Thai spice at a comfortable level for those with a low tolerance.  

And if you find level one too tame but don't want to commit to an overly spicy dish, you should be safe with trying a medium level of heat, which equates to what most Americans would describe as hot. Level two offers a noticeable but moderate kick, ideal for those who can handle some warmth, while level three turns it up a notch, offering just enough heat for those who love a good spicy dish but don't want to inflame their digestive tract. 

If you're a true spice aficionado who thrives on the pleasurable pain of fiery flavors, then you may feel more eager to jump straight into a level four or five heat, also referred to as Thai hot spicy. But brace yourself — these levels are not for the weak of heart. A glass of water won't save you from their extreme heat. To get a better idea of just how spicy these dishes are, the peppers used in the recipes can hit levels of 50,000 to 100,000 units on the Scoville Heat scale. For reference, jalapeño peppers are ranked at about 2,500 to 8,000 units. 

When opting for Thai hot spicy, you're delving into the level of heat enjoyed by Thai locals. Level five will offer the most authentic Thai heat experience, while level four is slightly less intense, but both levels are typically too hot for most individuals. That said, be mindful of how much heat you're willing to endure, as once you take a bite out of these Thai hot dishes, there's no going back. In any case, you can always start with a mild level and adjust the heat yourself until your tolerance adapts.