The British Curry Awards may celebrate the best in spicy cuisine, but one Staffordshire restaurant has taken heat to a new level with a dish so fiery it requires diners to sign a disclaimer and chefs to wear gas masks.
The Dilshad in Cannock serves the Crocodile Inferno, a £30 curry made with crocodile meat and over 20 of the world's most formidable chillies, including Trinidad scorpion and fresh Naga peppers. Owner Tony Uddin explains that crocodile meat is used because it absorbs more spice than traditional meats.
Customers must give two days' notice to order the dish, which is prepared away from other diners to prevent fumes from affecting them. The chef wears a gas mask while cooking. Reporter Dan Hall, who sampled the curry, described the sensation as akin to being 'flamethrowered in the face' and 'swallowing a chainsaw', causing hyperventilation.
The Crocodile Inferno is among several curries across the UK claiming to be the hottest, with the Phaal generally considered the spiciest commonly available dish. However, The Dilshad's creation pushes boundaries further, offering a challenge for extreme spice enthusiasts.
