Originating in Southern India, Phaal combines at least 10 different peppers into a single, thick curry dish and its distinct spicy kick comes from a core ingredient, the Bhut jolokia chili pepper, which has been confirmed by the Guinness World Records as the most potent pepper on earth. In Pakistan and elsewhere it is referred to as the Naja jolokia pepper.

Also made with the Bhut jolokia chili pepper, along with cardamom, coriander, garlic and turmeric, this scorching curry hails from Goa, India. Usually including pork, vindaloo’s roots are originally Portuguese (from the time of the Portuguese occupation in the 16th century), but its traditional recipe has been spiced up over the decades to include local peppers and chilies from the region.

You need to sign a disclaimer before digging into the “XXX HOT” suicide wings served at Jake Melnick’s Corner Tap in Chicago. Lathered with a fiery red sauce made from the Red Savina habanero, these tongue-burning chicken wings are flame-hot. Other nicknames for the Red Savina pepper include the Dominican Devil's Tongue pepper and the Ball of Fire pepper.

Usually grown on the islands of Jamaica, Trinidad, Barbados and a few others, the spicy red Scotch bonnet is a key ingredient in various Caribbean jerk dishes (chicken, goat, pork) and does not disappoint when it comes to mouth-searing heat.

If its moniker is any indication, the devil pork curry is blistering. Similar to vindaloos in terms of its European origins, this fiery curry hails from Malacca, a Portuguese settlement along the Malaysian Peninsula, which was a major stop along the spice trading route of the 16th century. Mostly made with either pork or wild boar, this curry is a fiery concoction of turmeric, mustard, vinegar, and chilies-- particularly birds-eye (or Thai) chili pepper.

Popular in Central Thailand, home to the country’s capital, Bangkok, this regional dish is an intoxicating stir-fry of beef, herbs (shallots, garlic, basil), and a ton of red chili peppers, particularly the birds-eye (or Thai) chili pepper (chili padi). From the steamy streets of Bangkok to the coastal villages of Indonesia, the birds-eye pepper can be found swirling around in hot woks on a daily basis.

The “pot” portion of its name stems from that fact that a hot metal pot or cauldron filled with chicken, beef, or vegetable broth is left to simmer over heat at the table and raw ingredients such as meat and vegetables are added to the pot and cooked right there--a dining style popular throughout China. The “hot” part not only comes from its searing temperature, but from the fiery Sichuan “flower” pepper which produces a spicy, numbing sensation when eaten.

Pieces of chicken are marinated in a chili pepper marinade and then roasted or grilled. Known as the African devil, the red piri-piri, a type of bird-eye pepper, serves as the base kick in the chicken’s spicy marinade. Piri-piri is regularly used in meat marinades throughout Africa, especially in the Portuguese-speaking countries of Angola, Congo, and Mozambique. Other variations of the pepper’s name include Peri-peri or peli-peli.

Made with boiled yellow potatoes drenched in a cold, spicy cheese sauce called huancaína, its appearance is deceiving, so be sure to have a glass of water nearby. The spicy kick from this dish comes from the Ají amarillo pepper--the hottest chili pepper in the region. These peppers come in a variety of colors and are usually dried and ground into powder form for seasoning.

Rounding out the list is a sweltering Korean stew made with ingredients such as tofu, pork, scallions, and seafood, but with a base of kimchi--a spicy pickled garnish made from Cantonese baechu cabbage and herbs such as perilla. The spiciest kimchi comes from the lower southeastern region of Gyeongsang-do. What make the dish-slash-condiments so potent are the dried red chili peppers which form a near lethal combination during pickling process with the piquant cabbage.