Is Indian food Spicier than Korean?

Korean and Indian foods are delicious cuisines that people worldwide love to try.

They are popular for their aromatic aura and spiciness. Several Korean and Indian restaurants are growing across the globe with different types of spices to them. Korean foods are popular for their garlic adaption. 

Meanwhile, Indian food is popular for its spices. Whether it’s a curry or ramen, people forget their diet.

It’s very difficult to judge which one has more spicy flavors, Indian or Korean food.

Sometimes, people, especially spicy food lovers, get confused about what to try for the day between these two cuisines.

In this blog, you’ll learn whether Indian food is spicier than Korean or not. They both have flavorful dishes in their cuisines and also have a few similar items.

An Overview of Indian Food

Vibrant Indian dishes beautifully arranged on a table

India is a hub of extraordinary spices. The country exports more than 70% of spice around the world. The spices add a different level of taste to its cuisine. Indian foods have so many delicious recipes that are derived from spices.

Not only spicy foods, but the country is also popular in making several other dishes. It includes sweet, sour, salty, etc. Indian food can be made of any ingredients like tomatoes, chili, potatoes, and other items. Not only non-vegetarians but also various vegetarian options are available in this cuisine. A few of them are curry, tikka, tandoori, etc.

The aromatic spices boost the spiciness of any Indian dish. When it comes to rice dishes, Indian foods also have numerous varieties. It can be white rice, jeera (cumin) rice, plain rice, lemon rice, etc. In addition, Khichidi is also a popular Indian food. They also produce a variety of foods with bread or tortillas. It includes tandoori roti, naan, kulcha, etc.

Besides spices, India is also a popular country that produces different types of chilies. Correspondingly, it makes some Indian food spicier. Indian foods are famous for their accessible natural ingredients. Indian people don’t use curry powder every time, and they can make powder from spices and cook the dish.

An Overview of Korean Food

A bowl of Korean food topped with a fresh egg

Korean food is also a popular cuisine in the Asian continent. They are also gaining popularity across the globe. So, not only for K-pop, K-drama (Korean TV series), and Korean movies, but the country is also famous for its spicy flavors.

Even if you visit any temple in Korea, you’ll get the opportunity to taste their local cuisine. Korean foods are popular for the garlic. It is assumed that people in Korea consume more garlic than in other parts of the world.

They add garlic to almost every food. The adaptation of this ingredient makes the food more delicious. Like the Chinese and Japanese food, you can eat Korean food using chopsticks.

The Koreans prepare a dish using noodles and several other ingredients like eggs, meats, fish, and vegetables; it’s known as ramen. This food has gained popularity in the world at present.

Apart from ramen, Korean cuisine is also famous for other delicious cuisines that they make using rice. Koreans also have their specific fried rice, sushi, and burger recipes.

Not only spicy, but the country is also popular for its sweet desserts. Both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options are available in this cuisine. Even if you order non-veg Korean food, you’ll receive the same amount of vegetables as the meat or fish.

Which One is More Spicy?

A colorful assortment of food displayed in bowls

Indian food shares almost the same traits as Mexican cuisine. Similarly, Korean foods share almost similar attributes to Japanese and Chinese dishes. However, their recipes and styles make them different from each other.

Indian and Korean food are both popular not only in Asia but all over the world. Korean and Indian food are both spicy. People love eating Curry as much as they enjoy the Ramen.

Korean food is made mostly using the curry powder. However, Indian dishes are rarely prepared using powders. They use the original spices and chili to create the powder. Then, they make delicious Indian cuisine.

Both Korean and Indian foods are popular. Even people from both countries love consuming each other’s special cuisines.

You will find Indian restaurants in Korea and Korean restaurants in India are growing. There’s not much difference associated with both cuisines except the spices.

Indian foods also require vegetables, and so do Korean foods. However, Korean dishes require more garlic than Indian dishes.

It’s not easy to say whether Indian food is spicier than Korean food or not. It might depend on various types of dishes. At present, both of the countries use ghost peppers and hot sauce to invent new dishes.

There are a few Korean foods that share almost the same traits as the Indian dishes, or vice versa. A few people also describe the dishes as competitors. The dishes are as follows:

  • Indian instant noodles and Korean ramen.
  • Gamja Jorim and Aloo-Sabji (Fried potato with vegetables) or Aloo-Tikki.
  • Paratha or naan and Gamja Jeon.
  • Indian pickles and Korean Kimchi.
  • Indian Kebabs and Korean Fried Chicken.
  • Chicken Curry and Dakgalbi, etc.

For a few particular dishes, you can say that Indian dishes are spicier than Korean. However, sometimes, it can also be the opposite for certain dishes.

Conclusion

Indian and Korean foods are both notable Asian cuisines that are gaining popularity across the world.

Indian dishes may require more spices and chilies in their foods, but Korean dishes require more garlic.

There are a few foods of both cuisines that are almost similar, like Indian instant noodles and Korean ramen or Paratha and Gamja Jeon.

Thus, it depends on the dish to say Indian food is spicier than Korean or vice versa.

Thank you for reading this blog. Hopefully, you’ve gained some knowledge of whether Indian food is spicier than Korean food or not.

Please let us know in the comments if you still have any concerns.

Be sure to check out these other posts for more fascinating insights:

Sebastian Martin

Sebastian Martin's journey in the culinary world started with his Culinary Arts degree from Le Cordon Bleu. With over 18 years of experience in various Michelin-starred restaurants, he brings an exquisite blend of creativity and classic techniques. Sebastian joined our platform in 2019, offering readers a peek into the world of haute cuisine. His interests include exploring vintage wines and writing about the history of traditional European dishes. In addition to his culinary pursuits, Sebastian is passionate about organic farming and frequently holds workshops on sustainable food practices.

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