I love spicy food. I mean, you know you really love spicy food when you use Sriracha to protect your meal from the gluttonous mouths of your friends and family. I observe this adoration of spicy cuisine almost as a mutation of sorts, kinda like those of the X-Men, that separates us, the chili pepper enthusiasts, from normal human beings. Then again, perhaps we are the ones who are normal and they are mere Neanderthals to our Cro-Magnon. There is a war coming. Are you sure you're on the right side?
But therein lies the tragedy of wielding such power. The truth is, being able to consume spicy food gradually makes you more tolerant to it. Eventually, the spicy things of yesterday may not help you reach that awesome zen-like state between pleasure and pain for your senses tomorrow.
This puts us on an endless search for increasingly spicier foods. And sometimes we grow a bit too bold and jump to a level we can't handle. I was well aware of how hot the Naga Bhut Jolokia (also known as the ghost chili pepper) is, as I've been regularly using a hot sauce made from it. But there is obviously a difference between dripping a few drops onto a sandwich and consuming an entire bowl of it, which is essentially what P'hall is.
So back in January of 2012, my friend, who also loves spicy food, randomly calls me out to eat at Brick Lane Curry House, the only place we know of that serves P'hall. He wanted to take on the challenge with me, as it was something we were looking forward to face for quite some time. Spicy food and beer is always a good time, especially if the beer is free. Unfortunately, this particular spot did not have a liquor license so we wouldn't be awarded a free beer upon completion of the challenge. Instead, we'd be getting a free mango lassi, which is probably the better drink to down after eating something as spicy as P'hall.
Now, here's the part where I list the stupid mistakes I made and what you should do to make this challenge a little easier.
1. Go hungry.
I ate a lot of appetizers prior to tackling the actual P'hall. The show says it's 16 ounces of the stuff. We got 20 ounces each. Along with the rice you'll probably be using to dissipate the curry into manageable bites and whatever liquid you'll be drinking to help quell the heat, you'll be very full, very quickly. Keep your stomach empty before you start.
2. Order a mango lassi (or any drink with dairy in it) with your P'hall.
I only had water and it did little to nothing to control the nuclear meltdown taking place in my mouth. What it did do, however, was help it go down my gullet. I think having something that will not only wash the inferno down but also ease the pain would be greatly advantageous to your efforts.
3. Be ready to throw $20 away.
Depending on the meat you order with the curry, you're going to spend around $20 on just the P'hall itself. The friend who invited me to the challenge took 3-5 bites and surrendered. That's a lot to waste. Even if you do manage to finish it, I highly doubt you'll enjoy it. I've read on a few forums that some people actually enjoy P'hall. Can't say I'm one of them. Just be sure you know what you're buying.
4. Do not touch anything sensitive if you got P'hall on your hands.
Wash your hands thoroughly even before using the bathroom. Trust me. You don't want any of this stuff going near your genitalia.
5. Make sure you don't have anything important to do the next day.
The company I work at is pretty lenient with me taking off. Good thing, too, because it hurts as much coming out as it does going in.
That's about all the advice I can give you. Unfortunately, I was so full by the time I finished the challenge that I couldn't even drink the free mango lassi I won. I gave that away to my friend. But to his credit, he paid for my meal since I was triumphant. Did I mention I vomited shortly afterwards? And on that note, good luck!
‹^› (': ' ) ‹^›
So back in January of 2012, my friend, who also loves spicy food, randomly calls me out to eat at Brick Lane Curry House, the only place we know of that serves P'hall. He wanted to take on the challenge with me, as it was something we were looking forward to face for quite some time. Spicy food and beer is always a good time, especially if the beer is free. Unfortunately, this particular spot did not have a liquor license so we wouldn't be awarded a free beer upon completion of the challenge. Instead, we'd be getting a free mango lassi, which is probably the better drink to down after eating something as spicy as P'hall.
Now, here's the part where I list the stupid mistakes I made and what you should do to make this challenge a little easier.
1. Go hungry.
I ate a lot of appetizers prior to tackling the actual P'hall. The show says it's 16 ounces of the stuff. We got 20 ounces each. Along with the rice you'll probably be using to dissipate the curry into manageable bites and whatever liquid you'll be drinking to help quell the heat, you'll be very full, very quickly. Keep your stomach empty before you start.
2. Order a mango lassi (or any drink with dairy in it) with your P'hall.
I only had water and it did little to nothing to control the nuclear meltdown taking place in my mouth. What it did do, however, was help it go down my gullet. I think having something that will not only wash the inferno down but also ease the pain would be greatly advantageous to your efforts.
3. Be ready to throw $20 away.
Depending on the meat you order with the curry, you're going to spend around $20 on just the P'hall itself. The friend who invited me to the challenge took 3-5 bites and surrendered. That's a lot to waste. Even if you do manage to finish it, I highly doubt you'll enjoy it. I've read on a few forums that some people actually enjoy P'hall. Can't say I'm one of them. Just be sure you know what you're buying.
4. Do not touch anything sensitive if you got P'hall on your hands.
Wash your hands thoroughly even before using the bathroom. Trust me. You don't want any of this stuff going near your genitalia.
5. Make sure you don't have anything important to do the next day.
The company I work at is pretty lenient with me taking off. Good thing, too, because it hurts as much coming out as it does going in.
That's about all the advice I can give you. Unfortunately, I was so full by the time I finished the challenge that I couldn't even drink the free mango lassi I won. I gave that away to my friend. But to his credit, he paid for my meal since I was triumphant. Did I mention I vomited shortly afterwards? And on that note, good luck!
‹^› (': ' ) ‹^›
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