Spicy snacks are sold on their heat. The heat comes from chilli peppers, as fresh chilli, chilli powder, chilli paste or a dried hot sauce, and sometimes from other spices, such as the numbing Sichuan pepper of mala. Thai, Korean and Mexican flavours lead the way, and many packs carry a warning such as “extreme” or “2X spicy”.
Snacks seasoned mainly with chilli are under chili, and those flavoured like a hot sauce under hot sauce. Other spicy snacks are listed here directly, such as Extreme Buldak Zzaldduk from Samyang, Taokaenoi - Crispy Seaweed Big Sheet Spicy Flavour, Squidy’s hot and spicy roller squid and Lay’s Rock Mala Barbecue.
Spicy seasonings often contain milk powder, wheat or soy as carriers, so the ingredient list is worth checking if you have allergies.











