Things are hotting up at one of Manchester’s popular Indian restaurants, Zouk Tea Bar & Grill, and my nose is running and my eyes are crying just at the mere thought of it. To mark National Chilli Day, Zouk is creating the World’s Hottest Curry featuring the World’s Hottest Chilli (according to the Guinness Book of records) as the star of the show, The Carolina Reaper.
Mancs can try to complete the ultimate test of pain tolerance – and it’s certainly not for the faint-hearted. And when we say that, we mean, you’ll really have to sign a waiver if you want to try it. It’s that hot. The curry has even been described as ‘like eating molten lava’!
The Carolina Reaper Karahi (Chicken £15.95 and Veg £14.95) will be on sale from February 24 to 28 as a special, with the challenge taking place on National Chilli Day (February 27). The curries all include dried Carolina Reaper chillies in the form of both Carolina Reaper Chilli Powder and Carolina Reaper Chilli paste.
They may look innocent, but beware these dishes have more than a little bite! Knowing the Carolina Reaper is officially the world’s hottest chilli, it may not surprise you to learn from the chefs that even cooking this curry is a bit of a challenge…
Plus, this year Zouk has also created a National Chilli Day menu for the week which includes three signature starters, five curries and a fiery mango dessert featuring everything from Kashmiri chillies to Scotch Bonnet and Komodo Dragon to Carolina Reapers. Tuck into the likes of Chilli Chicken, Chilli Paneer, Masala Mirch, Kolhapuri Chicken Curry (Kashmiri Red Chilli), Thai Chicken Curry (Thai Chilli), Goan Lamb Chilli Salsa (Goan red chilli), Lamb Phaal Curry (Scotch Bonnet Chilli), Komodo Dragon Chicken Curry and Baked Yoghurt with Spicy Mango. In addition, Zouk has crafted two sensational cocktails for the occasion – a Spicy Margarita and also a Grapefruit Cooler for those who can’t handle the heat.
Owner Tayub Amjad commented: “The chillies are so hot that the chefs must be careful when handling them. You can feel them on your hands and stinging your eyes. The heat really is intense so we always have goggles and gloves on hand. Last year only about 23 people completed the challenge and beat the reaper so although we can’t wait to see who takes the challenge on in 2025 we’ve created some milder options for chilli lovers who may not quite be ready for the reaper.”
What is the Zouk Chilli Challenge?
Finish the full Carolina Reaper Curry (either chicken or veg) in one sitting (max eating time 30 minutes and no helping from companions) on February 27th then you will not only get your reaper on Zouk, but you will also win a Zouk Gift Card for £50 to be redeemed on a future date.
If this all sounds a bit mad the restaurant is offering prizes for those bold enough to take these fiery dishes on. Anybody who finishes the challenge will also get a Zouk Ice Cream Sundae to help cool off those tastebuds too! Zouk believes this to be the World’s Hottest Curry, so if you fancy putting it (and yourself) to the test, you can make a booking here.