Depart on a pepper-tinged holiday to discover dishes that can set your mouth on fire.

People who go crazy for spicy food acknowledge the enchanting power of flavours. Foodies from around the world are aware that digesting spicy foods is not a child’s play. As suggested by health experts—spicy dishes not only excite our taste buds but also accelerate metabolism by spiking the body temperature. If you enjoy having spicy foods and are also planning an international holiday, visit these countries—globally known for their hot and spicy dishes.

Senegal

The cuisine of Senegal doesn’t deal with surface-level mild spices. Bonney or Caribbean red peppers add sweltering heat to local dishes like stews, pots of beans, and curries. Several traditional dishes use "nokoss"—a paste made with spicy peppers grounded with alliums and herbs. Nokoss is used in local dishes to marinate protein or to create the base of any sauce. And if you are craving an added kick of heat, douse your food in sosu kaani—the native hot sauce.

Mexico

No tamale, torta or taco is considered complete until they are doused in hot salsa. From the fanciest restaurants to obscure takeout windows—every diner in Mexico serves food with multiple hot and spicy sauce options.

The habanero salsa’s orange colour gestures its ferocity. On the other hand, the flame-red fiery salsa helps mask the heat of serrano peppers and the green salsa’s sharp rawness enhances it. In Mexico. even desserts and fruits get slathered or sprinkled with sour chamoy sauce. If you want to try the hottest snacks during your vacation, Mexico is where you should be.

India

Traditionally, foods in India are spiced with chillies, cardamom, pepper, garlic, and coriander—to create a balanced heat and flavour. Spicy Indian curries are made with herbs and spices to add extraordinary taste.

From East to West and North to South, every regional recipe in the country uses green and red chillies to boost flavour and aroma. If you like spicy foods, there are several mouth-watering Indian dishes that can excite your taste buds, setting them ablaze.

Thailand

Thailand is a famous tourist destination, best known for its stunning beaches and a wide array of street food stalls selling the spiciest snacks and soups. Local Thai dishes use plenty of aromatic spices and herbs that offer a unique flavour. If you can handle the heat, try rice doused in a thick red curry, made with local red chillies.

Trinidad and Tobago

On this Caribbean island, even fruits are seasoned with spices. Trinidad and Tobago’s heat-heavy dishes are inspired by South Asian and West African delicacies. Street vendors sell local dishes soaked in vinegar and a unique pepper sauce. Even under ripe fruits are seasoned with chopped garlic and chillies to transform into chow.

Ethiopia

If you want to delight your taste buds with authentic Ethiopian cuisine, look beyond fancy popular restaurants that serve food with generic tastes. Most Ethiopian dishes use ‘Berbere’—a hot spice mix made with ground chilli peppers and generously sprinkled on most recipes.

Mitmita is another staple seasoning mix that contains cardamom, cloves, piri piri, cumin, salt and cinnamon—all the ingredients are ground together to create this vibrant red spice mix.

Sri Lanka

Every traditional curry in Sri Lanka is unique in many aspects: bolder flavours, brighter colours, maximum heat and more spices. Most recipes use a combination of dried, fresh, and ground chiles and peppercorns. Even the basic meals in Sri Lanka are topped with multiple spicy ingredients, like lunu miris (a spicy condiment) made with pounded red chillies, red onions and chile peppers. Similarly, pol sambol is another spicy condiment, cooked with scraped chillies and coconut.

While some travel to visit gorgeous locations and explore new cultures, others trot the globe in search of spicy foods that cause tingling numbness.