Help! What can I order from an Indian restaurant if I can't handle ANY spice?

[Anonymous]

Eat ahead of time and just pick around your plate at the party.

[Anonymous]

You can also ask for plain rice and cooked vegetables no spice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In your shoes, I'd just tell the host that you are incredibly sensitive to any spices in food and that you'd hate for them to order something that you aren't able to eat. So you'd love to join, but will just eat bread/rice (or, depending on how close you are to the host, you could offer to bring your own chicken/beans to eat with naan/rice).

As the host, I'd rather hear this than have my guest request a particular dish and then not eat any (or very little) of it. But that really depends on the host and your relationship to them.

The host is my brother. It will literally be him and my little niece, who would absolutely notice if I didn't eat or brought my own food. SURELY there is something non-spicy at a typical indian restaurant that I can ask for?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If OP can't even handle pepper, she won't be able to handle anything from an Indian restaurant - even "mild".

Agree that naan and plain rice are your only options - but since it sounds like this is your sibling hosting, why would they not know about your sensitivities?

He does know. Last time I went for dinner, I picked where we ordered in from. This time, he's letting my niece pick.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In your shoes, I'd just tell the host that you are incredibly sensitive to any spices in food and that you'd hate for them to order something that you aren't able to eat. So you'd love to join, but will just eat bread/rice (or, depending on how close you are to the host, you could offer to bring your own chicken/beans to eat with naan/rice).

As the host, I'd rather hear this than have my guest request a particular dish and then not eat any (or very little) of it. But that really depends on the host and your relationship to them.

The host is my brother. It will literally be him and my little niece, who would absolutely notice if I didn't eat or brought my own food. SURELY there is something non-spicy at a typical indian restaurant that I can ask for?

People have given you several good suggestions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In your shoes, I'd just tell the host that you are incredibly sensitive to any spices in food and that you'd hate for them to order something that you aren't able to eat. So you'd love to join, but will just eat bread/rice (or, depending on how close you are to the host, you could offer to bring your own chicken/beans to eat with naan/rice).

As the host, I'd rather hear this than have my guest request a particular dish and then not eat any (or very little) of it. But that really depends on the host and your relationship to them.

The host is my brother. It will literally be him and my little niece, who would absolutely notice if I didn't eat or brought my own food. SURELY there is something non-spicy at a typical indian restaurant that I can ask for?

They have likely ordered from this restaurant before and if you tell him you can’t handle spicy food, he can pick something mild for you. I also don’t like much heat, but LOVE Indian food. Butter chicken (also called chicken makhani) is my go to, and at our family’s favorite restaurant, it is totally mild, no heat whatsoever. I also love chicken tiki masala, but at some places that can be a tiny bit spicy, so I would request butter chicken and a mango lassi!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I always wonder what people with this type of eating limitation/disorder do eat regularly?

OP here. I regularly never eat Indian food. I've gone to parties where I just sipped water the whole time, and ate before/after. I don't mind that at all. I just figured you guys might know of a non-spicy food I could get.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In your shoes, I'd just tell the host that you are incredibly sensitive to any spices in food and that you'd hate for them to order something that you aren't able to eat. So you'd love to join, but will just eat bread/rice (or, depending on how close you are to the host, you could offer to bring your own chicken/beans to eat with naan/rice).

As the host, I'd rather hear this than have my guest request a particular dish and then not eat any (or very little) of it. But that really depends on the host and your relationship to them.

The host is my brother. It will literally be him and my little niece, who would absolutely notice if I didn't eat or brought my own food. SURELY there is something non-spicy at a typical indian restaurant that I can ask for?

People have given you several good suggestions.

+1 Your brother probably has noticed if you're truly so spice avoidant that adding pepper to your eggs is intolerable. Just eat ahead of time and get plain rice, whatever naan/chapati/roti (bread) they have and raita (yogurt dip) and papadum (flat fried chip like bread). Plus a mango lassi and a dessert if you like that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If OP can't even handle pepper, she won't be able to handle anything from an Indian restaurant - even "mild".

Agree that naan and plain rice are your only options - but since it sounds like this is your sibling hosting, why would they not know about your sensitivities?

Plus 1 !

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Butter chicken and tandoori are mild but based on OP’s description they will experience both as spicy.

+1 I would stick with daal, rice, and butter naan.

Yes, with raita and a mango lassi, you'd be all set.

yes, this is what I'd do: daal, rice, butter naan, raita, mango lassi.

Just ask that the daal be "no spice" and this would work. It is usually very very mild, to the point of being bland, but of course you never know. People recommending butter and tandoor chicken are thinking "low spice" but I suspect these would be more than OP can handle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In your shoes, I'd just tell the host that you are incredibly sensitive to any spices in food and that you'd hate for them to order something that you aren't able to eat. So you'd love to join, but will just eat bread/rice (or, depending on how close you are to the host, you could offer to bring your own chicken/beans to eat with naan/rice).

As the host, I'd rather hear this than have my guest request a particular dish and then not eat any (or very little) of it. But that really depends on the host and your relationship to them.

The host is my brother. It will literally be him and my little niece, who would absolutely notice if I didn't eat or brought my own food. SURELY there is something non-spicy at a typical indian restaurant that I can ask for?

People have given you several good suggestions.

+1 Your brother probably has noticed if you're truly so spice avoidant that adding pepper to your eggs is intolerable. Just eat ahead of time and get plain rice, whatever naan/chapati/roti (bread) they have and raita (yogurt dip) and papadum (flat fried chip like bread). Plus a mango lassi and a dessert if you like that.

Pappadum can be very spicy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If OP can't even handle pepper, she won't be able to handle anything from an Indian restaurant - even "mild".

Agree that naan and plain rice are your only options - but since it sounds like this is your sibling hosting, why would they not know about your sensitivities?

He does know. Last time I went for dinner, I picked where we ordered in from. This time, he's letting my niece pick.

He can’t tell your niece something like Indian food upsets Auntie Larla’s tummy (or something age appropriate)? We want Auntie Larla to enjoy dinner and not get sick, right? How about we pick from one of these three restaurants that we know she likes?

I understand that you don’t really get sick but it’s an easy way to explain it. And you are certainly uncomfortable.

[Anonymous]

Super-taster friend says naan and mango lassi work for her. If you’re ok with tomatoes (she isn’t), butter chicken might be ok.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If OP can't even handle pepper, she won't be able to handle anything from an Indian restaurant - even "mild".

Agree that naan and plain rice are your only options - but since it sounds like this is your sibling hosting, why would they not know about your sensitivities?

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I always wonder what people with this type of eating limitation/disorder do eat regularly?

I am like OP and the answer is bland food. Even garlic can be too much for me and sometimes sour cream and onion potatoe chips for example.

I take medication that makes my mouth even more sensitive so I have to be really careful.

I hate it and wish it wasn't the case.

Oh man! That stinks. I'm sorry, PP.