Eating and tolerating spicy food are natural skills for some people, but others must develop their palettes to enjoy these dishes. Whether you want to expand your food options or try a specific dish at your local restaurant serving Mexican cuisine, there are some do's and don'ts to follow when tasting spicy food. While spicy food can be delicious, beginners should know what they can handle and how to reduce heat if they are too adventurous.

Do:

Have dairy on hand.

Dairy-based foods and drinks often contain casein protein, which washes away chemical compounds causing spiciness. If you aren't used to spicy food, order a side of milk to offset the spice if it's too much for you to handle. If you're out at a restaurant and enjoying Mexican cuisine, add shredded cheese, queso, and sour cream to your dish to help offset spicier flavors.

Make sure your recipe is carb-heavy.

If you're branching out of your comfort zone and trying spicier food, make sure the dish you choose is carb-based. Tortilla shells, rice, and chips can help offset the effects of the spiciness due to their filling nature. Getting a hot salsa wrapped in a bread product can greatly reduce the heat of pepper-based dishes. 

Don't:

Drink water.

If you try a unique dish, such as a spicy salsa recipe from traditional Mexican cuisine, and it's too hot for you to handle, your first reaction will likely be to reach for your water. While milk and dairy can offset spicy flavoring, water does the opposite. Since spicy compounds are oil-based, drinking water doesn't eliminate it; instead, it spreads it around your mouth. This makes the effects worse, causing more pain and extending the effects.

Start with the hottest peppers.

If you're new to spicy food, you should not start experimenting with the hottest peppers possible. When ordering spicy dishes, lean towards jalapenos, serranos, cayenne, and datil peppers to start. These peppers are milder and more tolerable to those without a spicy palette. As you become more familiar with spicy food, you can start venturing into habanero and ghost peppers, which are known for being extremely hot.

However, if you are at a restaurant serving Tex-Mex or Mexican cuisine, it's always smart to ask workers which dishes are milder. Depending on the recipe and what other ingredients it contains, certain dishes may be hotter than their peppers indicate.

Now that you're prepared to handle spicy food, visit Cita's Salsa & Kitchen in Dallas, TX. This mother and daughter-owned restaurant creates delicious Tex-Mex meals and homemade salsas of varying spiciness levels. Depending on your spicy tolerance, you can choose between several flavors, such as fiery fiesta, garden green, holy habanero, red rage, or rustic ranchero. They are always running several specials, and you can view their menu on their website. Call (972) 863-9725 to place a takeout or carryout order or inquire more about their salsa recipes.