Jingjok
What ไม่เผ็ด really gets you
mâi pèt
ไม่เผ็ด means 'not spicy', but in a Thai kitchen it often means 'Thai not-spicy'. Many curries, soups and dips start from a chili paste that is already in the pot, so the cook can leave out fresh chilies but not all the heat. A useful scale: ไม่เผ็ด (as mild as possible), เผ็ดน้อย (a little), เผ็ด (normal Thai), เผ็ดมาก (very). If you want flavour without pain, เผ็ดน้อย is often the best order. If you cannot eat chili at all, add ไม่ใส่พริก and choose fried rice or a clear soup. Staff often ask กินเผ็ดได้ไหม 'can you eat spicy?' out of kindness, not doubt.
Try this today
Order your next dish เผ็ดน้อย and find out where your own line is.
The words that carry it
Your first 90 days of Thai
Culture cards in Jingjok are tied to the words that carry them, each ending in one thing to try today.
- WEEKS 1–2 · SURVIVEGreet anyone, pay, and order food and 7-Eleven exactly how you like it.
- WEEKS 3–6 · SETTLE INGet around by taxi, Grab and skytrain, find anything, and handle your landlord.
- WEEKS 7–12 · RUN YOUR LIFEPharmacy, bank, SIM and apps, how you feel, and a weekend away, all in Thai.
The first week is free.