Too Hot to Handle

I thought I would follow up my previous post with another recent experience. A friend and I had to go down to Durban in South Africa for a business trip. Now, for those of you who are unfamiliar with Durban, it can be summed up as a place where they regularly eat lava, just for fun. It is generally considered to be an Indian community, so if the food isn't so hot that your tongue melts upon tasting it, it is not considered food. For those of you who have read my previous post, you will have noticed that I am not a fan of fire eating, so this trip had me seriously nervous. Especially because my friend's family lives in Durban (well, close to it anyway). To them, a curry which doesn't immediately have your sinuses begging for mercy is just a stew. So imagine my trepidation upon being invited for lunch one day. Images of spontaneous combustion filled my head, along with a deep sense of dread! I could just see myself taking one bite and instantly turning into the Human Torch! (Just without the muscles and cool superpowers) We arrived at noon, and I was already sweating in anticipation. We made some small talk, during which time I swear I could hear some snickering coming from the direction of the kitchen. Finally we were called to the table, and a big bowl of chicken curry was placed on the table. My hand was shaking as I ladled some into my bowl. Was this going to be a delicious culinary experience, or was I in for a lesson in pain management? I took the first bite, and winced as it went into my mouth, just in case. I chewed slowly, savouring the spicy flavour, but also waiting for the inevitable explosion. But after a few seconds nothing happened. So I took another bite, and another after that. It was glorious! An authentic Indian curry that didn't leave me curled up on the ground in a fetal position desperately trying to think happy thoughts! My friend informed me later that he had arranged with his mother before hand to turn the heat down a bit, just to stop me from developing curry Tourettes. In fact, while this meal had a mild sting to it, and I had to have a few glasses of liquid refreshment in order to keep it manageable, to them it was actually almost bland! It is said that you can learn a lot about a culture by indulging in their food. Well, if the Indian culture is anything to go by, we can be glad that they are not developing weapons of mass destruction. Because the explosions would be epic!