Taming heat
Ways cooks soften chilli burn with fat, dairy, sugar, acid or starch.
Also: cooling a dish, reducing chilli heat, balancing spice
Capsaicin dissolves in fat and alcohol but not in water, so a glass of water does little to relieve burn. Dairy helps, since milk protein casein binds capsaicin, which is why yoghurt raita, lassi and milk cool a curry. Fat, such as coconut milk or ghee, dilutes it, and sugar, starch and acids offer relief by competing for attention. In cooking, removing the white pith and seeds lowers heat, and adding potato, nuts, tomatoes or cream calms a dish that went too far. Rice, bread and flatbreads are the natural companions of hot food. Heat also settles with time, as it often seems milder the next day.