British Curry Heat Guide
Curry Club rates every curry on a 5-level heat scale: Mild, Medium, Medium-Hot, Hot and Very Hot. Dopiaza is the mildest of our six curries and Vindaloo is the hottest, and the chilli marks on each kit show where it sits.
Heat is personal, so use the scale as a guide to how our curries compare with each other rather than a promise of how hot each one will feel to you.
The Curry Club heat scale
What each heat level means
Mild
Gentle warmth with flavour first. A good starting point if you are new to curry or prefer only a little chilli heat.
- DopiazaSweet Onion · BalancedBuy the Dopiaza kit →
Medium
Noticeable, rounded warmth that sits behind the spices. Comfortable for most people who enjoy some heat.
- Rogan JoshRich · Aromatic · Slightly SmokyBuy the Rogan Josh kit →
Medium-Hot
Clearly spicy, with heat you notice throughout, while the spices and sauce still lead.
- BaltiFresh · Tangy · AromaticBuy the Balti kit →
- JalfreziFresh · Peppery · SpicedBuy the Jalfrezi kit →
Hot
Properly hot. Chilli is a central part of the experience, so this level suits people who already enjoy spicy food.
- MadrasTomato-Rich · Deeply SpicedBuy the Madras kit →
Very Hot
The top of the scale: intense, fast-building heat for confident chilli lovers.
- VindalooFiery · Vinegary · BoldBuy the Vindaloo kit →
Heat is personal
How hot a curry feels varies from person to person. Your usual tolerance, how often you eat spicy food and what you eat alongside it all make a difference.
Our ratings compare our six curries with each other. They are not a laboratory measurement, and other restaurants or brands may label the same dish differently.
Adding a little more heat
The Dopiaza, Rogan Josh and Madras kits include an optional whole dried Kashmiri chilli if you want more heat, and the Jalfrezi kit lists an optional fresh green chilli.
Still deciding?
Compare flavour as well as heat, with a short “choose this if…” for every curry.
Which Curry Should I Choose?