Any dish in a yogurt-based sauce is going to be inherently milder than other dishes. That’s why vindaloo is so crazy hot, it’s just chili and vinegar and spices. Nothing to mitigate the heat.
And yet, on the rare occasions when I’ve convinced someone to make it hot enough, I’ve loved tikka masala.
So what’s something that has a similar flavor profile, but which is traditionally hotter?
It’s really going to depend on the restaurant and what type of Indian food they do. I mean, chicken makhani (butter chicken) is similar in flavor profile and it’s creamy, but it’s generally fairly mild because of all the cream and yogurt (just like tikka masala.) Also, tikka masala tends to be more heavily spiced and more tomato-ey. Korma is also well-spiced and on the creamier side (with a dose of nuts) but tends to be mild (although I’ve had some fairly hot kormas.)
I can’t think of anything else that would have exactly the same flavor profile, but if you like it spicy, like mentioned above, vindaloo is worth trying, although it’s quite different and usually has a vinegar kick to it. Jalfrezi is another one that is usually fairly spicy and anything with the word “Madras” in it is usually spicy. Or just try the straight-up “curry,” which most Indian-American restaurants have and ask them to make it extra hot.
Chicken 65 is one of my favorite dishes, but that’s a fairly dry curry and not a usual item on Indian restaurant menus here that I’ve seen (though I see it all the time at Indian catered events.) That can get quite spicy, if you want it.
Is anybody else fucking ravenous right now?
I would try a Rogan Josh if you want something medium spicy. I would try a Madras or Jalfrezi if you want something spicier.
Nah, you become the ‘guy who says he want spicy but showed his appreciation when we hold back on the heat with a smile and a big tip.’ The wait staff taking note of a diner’s condiment usage is itself unlikely and, even if they did, getting this information to the cooks to make adjustments next time you come in is probably never going to happen. You want to be ‘that guy who orders spicy and he can take it’ to the folks on both sides of the kitchen doors.
Put that gregarious nature to work during the ordering. Tell them you want it four times spicier (or whatever) than normal, yes really, I mean it, four times. Make clear you’ll be sending it back for adjustment. I wouldnt expect them to make it all over again, just take it back to spike the heat. Once they get it right, ask what you need to say to get that fire next time. Obviously, try to do this when they’re not slammed and, ideally, not busy at all.
It is sad that almost all the Indian restaurants serve food from the North of India. (Vindaloo is from the west though) For really spicy food look for food that comes from the South. Typical appellations would be Hyderabadi, Chettinad, Andhra in either the dish names or the restaurant names.
Also, find an Indian store and ask for the pickle section. Pick up anything that says “Avakkai” - these are pickled mangoes from the Andhra region. Ask the shop for suggestions in the frozen aisle as well. I just picked up some frozen Chicken kababs here in Houston - that were the bomb!
Bring a bag of dried habanero peppers and a pair of small scissors.
There are many Web descriptions of different curries. One is at curry house.co.uk under “glossary”.