I tried a new Chinese restaurant today, for take-out, and did what I normally do--ordered General Tso's Chicken, extra spicy. I usually can't get it spicy enough, but at this place, whoa! Any ideas on how to tone it down if it's too spicy?

Keep some plain rice close by. When it gets to hot eat some rice.

Well with Chinese food you don't normally have dairy type things but for other types of food dairy will generally calm the burn. Avoid drinking water even though it's generally your first inclination because that will make it worse.

yup, milk (or yogurt or cheese) will help your mouth feel better if you consume them as an accompaniment. Here's a discussion of why.

To try and tame the heat in the food itself, some people suggest adding some sugar or vinegar or sprinkling with lime juice (or a combination).

Milk. Yogurt. etc.

Kipper, I share you feelings of "not spicy enough"... but this place sounds like my kind of place.

I try to take as much of the heat as I can, especially if it can open up and drain my sinuses. Then I go for the ice cold water to cool the burn and lots of napkins to take care of the drain... kleenex aren't strong enough without going through the whole box.

Kipper,

Mind sharing where this place is I really like spicy chinese food and normally can't find it!

After the first aid procedures ddescribed above, ask for chinese vinegar and add it. It will cut the bite.

The food definitely drained my sinuses!
Cumberland, MD, New Dragon House

Order another one with no spice in it and mix them together, you will cut the spice in half.

And have leftovers for lunch

I've never once had any meal in the US that was too spicy. I've never had a Chinese dish that I would consider spicy at all. Only recently I found one Thai place in San Bruno, CA that will make me dishes 'almost' as hot as I like them. Gotta get back to Thailand. Getting hungry just thinking about a bowl of Kaeng Pa.

In Thailand, sugar is on the table along with fish oil, chili oil, and dried chilli. Thais will add sugar to a dish to temper the spiciness. I don't know if this has any link with all the toothless old hags around.

Sugar seems to be a popular suggestion to tame spicy food. Some articles I read indicate sugar will calm down the taste buds a little bit. Haven't tried it myself though since I am not a fan of spicy food.

twebst mentioned Chinese vinegar. Do you mean the white one or black kind? Either way, I am not sure that's a good idea.

First, not every Chinese dish will go well with vinegar. Adding vinegar may ruin the dish. Secondly, generally speaking, for a Chinese cook, when s/he finishes cooking one dish, it means this dish is "done" with all the flavors. If the guests (or customers) start sprinkling more salt (soy sauce..etc), it makes the cook feel sort of "incompetent", not doing her/his job. Some people will take it as an insult.

ps. I am a Taiwanese and I cook. I am just sharing my cultural "flavors" here.

Well, every time when my food gets too spicy for me. I normally just put about an ice cube in there to calm it down a little bit. Maybe the cold kinda takes the heat away.

Of the various regional Chinese cuisines out there, Sichuan & Hunan are the spiciest.