Use These Simple Hacks To Fix Your Extra Spicy Food! - Times Of India

Times EntertainmentSign In

TOI

TOI
  • home
  • lifestyle
  • relationship
  • food news
  • Health+
  • style
  • visual stories
  • trending
  • parenting
  • soul search
  • beauty
  • books
  • recipes
  • travel
  • home & garden
  • events
  • spotlight
  • News
  • lifestyle
  • food-news
  • Use these simple hacks to fix your extra spicy food!
TrendingSara TendulkarRashmika Madanna MangalsutraChina New Marriage TrendIndian BreakfastsLab Grown GoldHair Regrowth TipsVijay DeverakondaGhostlightingZendayaMiyazaki MangoSara TendulkarRashmika Madanna MangalsutraChina New Marriage TrendIndian BreakfastsLab Grown GoldHair Regrowth TipsVijay DeverakondaGhostlightingZendayaMiyazaki MangoSara TendulkarRashmika Madanna MangalsutraChina New Marriage TrendIndian BreakfastsLab Grown GoldHair Regrowth TipsVijay DeverakondaGhostlightingZendayaMiyazaki MangoUse these simple hacks to fix your extra spicy food!iStock / Dec 4, 2019, 21:00 ISTShareAA+Text Size
  • Small
  • Medium
  • Large
Follow us
Food too Spicy?
1/7

Food too Spicy?

Ever faced a situation where you were looking forward to eating your favourite dish only to realise that you made it much spicier than you intended? Cooking is an art that can only be perfected with practice. The best of cooks also, once in a while, miscalculate the quantity of ingredients to add in the dish. If there is a lack of some taste, you can always correct it with some other ingredients. But, excess of anything be it salt or spice can often become a tricky situation. Though there are people who are tolerant of excess spice or even love their food to be on the spicy side of taste scale, there is a limit to how much spice one can endure. Putting more spice than needed is an unintentional mistake that happens commonly in everyday cooking. Maybe you put the spice powder twice unknowingly, or the chilli was too spicy and you used it in a larger quantity, no matter what went wrong the taste of the dish suffers, and the mood with which you eat is also bound to get spoiled. If you do face such a situation, do not worry! There is no problem a little kitchen hack can’t solve. Before wasting the cooked food, read the list given here to know what you can do to tone down the levels of spice and balance the taste of food. Add these 6 ingredients in your dish to reduce the spice quotient and relish your food just as you imagined it.

Dairy
2/7

Dairy

Adding dairy can help reduce the amount of spice in food and also provide a cooling effect. You should add milk, curd or even cream to the dish to adjust the spice levels. Apart from adding in the dish, you should drink milk rather than water to reduce the effect of hot spicy food.

Add more ingredients
3/7

Add more ingredients

This might seem like a simple trick but it works wonders! If you have prepared a soup, stew or curry that accidentally tastes extra spicy, just add a little water to fix it. You can also increase the number of other ingredients, like, noodles or pasta in a pasta dish, or adding more vegetables in the main dish. Vegetables like onions, carrots and beans can be used to balance the flavours in the dish.

Nut Butter
4/7

Nut Butter

Secretly sneak in some peanut butter into a dish to tone down the spice and you would not even taste the peanut butter while eating the dish. Alternatively, you can also use almond butter for the same. The taste of these butter mellows down the flavours and neutralises the spice.

Acid
5/7

Acid

By acid, we mean acidic substances like vinegar, citrus or even ketchup. Just a teaspoon or two of these substances can work a great way to rescue you from the horror of extra spicy food.

Lime Juice
6/7

Lime Juice

Just like acid, a few squeezes of lemon juice also helps in reducing the spiciness of the food. The tanginess from the lemon juices works with the extra spice to obtain a perfect balance of taste and flavours.

Sweetners
7/7

Sweetners

All spicy meals follow a sweet craving. So instead of resorting to a sweet bite after a spicy meal, add the sweet in your food to avoid the extra spice. You can add sugar, honey or jaggery in your food to give it a sweeter flavour, but be mindful of the quantity, you don’t want to have your main dish as dessert. Not just sugar and sugar substitutes, you can add natural sweeteners like onions and tomatoes that are sweet in taste and help in balancing the flavours.

Apart from these tips and tricks, you can also employ other methods to eat your spicy food and avoid it going to waste. Eating the food cold allows the flavours to settle and reduces the spice levels naturally. You can also serve the spicy dish along with a bland or a more nuanced dish to make a meal with balanced flavours.

Follow Us On Social Media

Photostories

Article image for: 7 Vastu practices that welcome money into your house
7 Vastu practices that welcome money into your house
Article image for: Twin baby names inspired by courage and grace
Twin baby names inspired by courage and grace
Article image for: Aries to Scorpio: Zodiac Signs that are likely to have a love marriage
Aries to Scorpio: Zodiac Signs that are likely to have a love marriage
Article image for: How to make high-protein Instant Sprout Chaat at home
How to make high-protein Instant Sprout Chaat at home
Article image for: From mandap to majesty: Rashmika Mandanna and Vijay Deverakonda turn Hyderabad reception into a royal South Indian fashion moment
From mandap to majesty: Rashmika Mandanna and Vijay Deverakonda turn Hyderabad reception into a royal South Indian fashion moment
Article image for: 7 festive and colourful cocktails perfect for your Holi celebration
7 festive and colourful cocktails perfect for your Holi celebration
Article image for: Why Rashmika Mandanna’s mangalsutra was a hidden surprise for Vijay Deverakonda - decoding its meaning, design, and look
Why Rashmika Mandanna’s mangalsutra was a hidden surprise for Vijay Deverakonda - decoding its meaning, design, and look
Article image for: “Beauty is not about appearance but about courage”: How acid attack survivor Laxmi Agarwal changed India’s laws
“Beauty is not about appearance but about courage”: How acid attack survivor Laxmi Agarwal changed India’s laws
Article image for: Post-Holi hair rescue: Easy tips to restore softness and shine
Post-Holi hair rescue: Easy tips to restore softness and shine
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
Food videos
Article image for: Exclusive: Author Amish on writing 'The Chola Tigers', lessons from India’s forgotten heroes, and more32:03
Exclusive: Author Amish on writing 'The Chola Tigers', lessons from India’s forgotten heroes, and more
Article image for: Exclusive: Author Amish on writing 'The Chola Tigers', lessons from India’s forgotten heroes, and more32:03
Exclusive: Author Amish on writing 'The Chola Tigers', lessons from India’s forgotten heroes, and more
Article image for: Senior Living in India-- Myths, Realities & the Future of Purposeful Ageing27:30
Senior Living in India-- Myths, Realities & the Future of Purposeful Ageing
Article image for: Life After 60: How To Redefine Life Post-Retirement13:05
Life After 60: How To Redefine Life Post-Retirement
Article image for: Life After 60: Why India's seniors are choosing community living16:34
Life After 60: Why India's seniors are choosing community living
Article image for: Control Your Senses, Gain Knowledge, Attain Peace: Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 4.3904:34
Control Your Senses, Gain Knowledge, Attain Peace: Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 4.39
Article image for: Cultural Clashes in Love: How To Make Your Relationship Work06:37
Cultural Clashes in Love: How To Make Your Relationship Work
Article image for: Prayagraj MahaKumbh 2025 Readies For Millions: Massive Preparations Underway In Uttar Pradesh03:19
Prayagraj MahaKumbh 2025 Readies For Millions: Massive Preparations Underway In Uttar Pradesh
Article image for: Sadhguru Reveals The Truth About Black Magic And Your Photograph04:48
Sadhguru Reveals The Truth About Black Magic And Your Photograph
Article image for: BK Shivani On Forgiveness: Why It’s Essential For Inner Peace07:18
BK Shivani On Forgiveness: Why It’s Essential For Inner Peace
Article image for: How Bhairavi Sadhana Accelerates Your Path to Liberation: Sadhguru Speaks08:08
How Bhairavi Sadhana Accelerates Your Path to Liberation: Sadhguru Speaks
Article image for: Breakup Recovery: How To Not Wallow In Misery And Love Yourself06:47
Breakup Recovery: How To Not Wallow In Misery And Love Yourself
Article image for: The Purifying Power of Yajna: Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4, Verse 3003:20
The Purifying Power of Yajna: Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4, Verse 30
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
More Videos

Featured In Food

Article image for: West Asia crisis: MEA sets up control room; releases emergency contact numbers of Indian embassies
West Asia crisis: MEA sets up control room; releases emergency contact numbers of Indian embassies
Article image for: Kuwait extends visit visas, eases residency rules as Middle East travel disruptions strand travellers
Kuwait extends visit visas, eases residency rules as Middle East travel disruptions strand travellers
Article image for: Two 170-year-old beer bottles found in a shipwreck from Baltic Sea; scientists test if they are still drinkable
Two 170-year-old beer bottles found in a shipwreck from Baltic Sea; scientists test if they are still drinkable
Article image for: Personality test: How you hold your glass reveals if you are protective, calm, steady or expressive
Personality test: How you hold your glass reveals if you are protective, calm, steady or expressive
Article image for: 6 mindful practices to reduce decision fatigue and stay focused in a high-pressure world
6 mindful practices to reduce decision fatigue and stay focused in a high-pressure world
Article image for: How a simple “Hi” in Phuket turned into a love story between a Karnataka man and a European woman
How a simple “Hi” in Phuket turned into a love story between a Karnataka man and a European woman
Article image for: Word of the day: Flibbertigibbet
Word of the day: Flibbertigibbet
Article image for: Thyroid imbalance and yoga: What science says about stress reduction, TSH balance and realistic healing expectations
Thyroid imbalance and yoga: What science says about stress reduction, TSH balance and realistic healing expectations
Article image for: How to verify land records before buying a plot
How to verify land records before buying a plot
Article image for: 5 easy summer hair regrowth tips for bald patches
5 easy summer hair regrowth tips for bald patches

MORE FROM ETIMES

life & styleAnanya PandayGossipsLab Grown Gold vs Mined GoldReduce Trapped PoresZendayalogoLiving and entertainmentETimesTravel DestinationsCricbuzz.comTVLifestyleNewspaper SubscriptionFood NewsTimes PrimeWhats HotServicesCouponDuniaTechGigTimesJobsBollywood NewsTimes MobileGadgetsWork with UsColombiaHot on the WebVijay Deverakonda Wedding ReceptionKuwait Visit Visa ExtensionAllu ArjunThe Kerala Story 2Lara DuttaThaai KizhaviVijayRajinikanth Family TreeRashmika MandannaOptical illusionChiranjeeviSelenelionNandamuri Balakrishna HouseDiksha PawarKatrina KaifMoscow AirportAyesha KhanChris GardenerSunil Bharti MittalQatar AirportIran Travel Alert'O'Romeo' Box Office CollectionMumbai AirportSprout Chaat RecipeYoung Sherlock ReviewHoroscope TodayThe 50The Bluff Movie ReviewBorder 2 Movie ReviewTu Yaa Main Movie ReviewToday Gold Rate in ChennaiDelhi Weather TodayDelhi AQI TodayMumbai AQI TodayMaharashtra Public Holidays 2026Anthropic Ceo Dario AmodeiHarsh GoenkaClaude DownLunar Eclipse Looks From MoonHoli Gadgets Safety TipsTotal Lunar EclipseTrending TopicsLatest MoviesBollywood MoviesHollywood MoviesTamil Movies 2026Telugu Movies 2026Malayalam Movies 2026Kannada MoviesMarathi MoviesBengali Movies 2026Top Rated Movies 2026Best Hindi MoviesBest English MoviesBest Telugu MoviesBest Tamil MoviesBest Malayalam MoviesBest Kannada MoviesBest Bengali MoviesUpcoming Hindi MoviesBest Movies Of All TimeBest Hindi Movies of All TimeLatest English MoviesLatest Malayalam MoviesEnglish TV NewsTamil TV NewsTelugu TV NewsMalayalam TV NewsKannada TV NewsMovie ReviewsBhojpuri Cinema NewsGujarati Cinema NewsPopular CategoriesViral NewsK Pop NewsWeb Series NewsAnime NewsUpcoming English MoviesUpcoming Tamil MoviesUpcoming Telugu MoviesUpcoming Malayalam MoviesUpcoming Kannada MoviesFashion TipsTravel NewsEntertainment NewsBollywood NewsTollywood NewsKollywood NewsMollywood NewsFood NewsLatest Hindi MoviesLatest Tamil MoviesParenting TipsHome RemediesWeight LossBeauty TipsParenting TipsHindi VideosHindi Video SongsBhojpuri Music VideosLatest Telugu MoviesBhojpuri Music VideoHindi TV NewsLatest NewsOxford’s Ashmolean Museum returns stolen Tirumangai Alvar idol to Indian authorities in London‘I have seen the missile’: Indian woman from first evacuation flight recounts tense days in DubaiAssam guv celebrates Holi with AR troopsWatch: Louisiana worker dangling from fiery cherry picker before plunging to groundRajya Sabha elections: Tiruchi Siva, Thambidurai renominated'Natural increase to hit zero': Immigration could soon drive 100% of Canada’s population growth, says expertOnline fraudsters cheat five Coimbatore residents of Rs 1.15 crorePreity Zinta returns home after ‘stressful’ trip amid Middle East conflict: ‘Grateful to be safe and to celebrate Holi’Tamil Nadu Knife Sharpeners Struggle: Traditional Craft Faces Decline Amidst Online CompetitionCall of Duty Warzone to get a new battle royale mode: What we know so farGenetic treasure trove: Wild banana's genetic diversity unveiled; Key findings could protect future crop resilience and sustainabilityNBA contract update: Memphis Grizzlies reward rising Canadian forward Olivier-Maxence Prosper with a new two-year contractMarch towards progress: Tribal enthusiasm surges as Tripura CM kicks off TTAADC campaign; Public's desire for empowerment takes center stageIndian-origin Pooja Sethi, who stood up to defend her Indian heritage, wins Democratic primary for Texas House District 47ILPs issued in Mizoram: Mizoram issues 3.36 lakh ILPs, earning over Rs 15 crore; Deportation of 1,117 for permit violations reportedWhat is Artemi Panarin’s net worth in 2026?: A look at the LA Kings forward’s career earnings, salary, contract details, investments, and moreRemembering a leader: Manipur NPP honors PA Sangma’s legacy; Reaffirms commitment to inclusive politics and development across NortheastNew cabinet assignment: Manipur government appoints key ministers; Cabinet expansion likely post-budget sessionCopyright © 2026 Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All rights reserved. For reprint rights: Times Syndication ServiceFollow us on

Tag » How To Tone Down Spicy Food