Koikeya Karamucho Hot Chili

Karamucho does not ease you in. There is no gentle introduction, no polite warmup, no moment where the flavour quietly suggests it might get spicy later. The heat arrives immediately, confidently, and with absolutely no apology. The thick, ridged potato stick format gives the chili seasoning maximum surface area to work with, which Koikeya has used as an opportunity to coat every possible millimetre in aggressively seasoned, deeply satisfying heat.

The name literally means "super spicy," which is either a warning or a promise depending on your tolerance level and your general attitude toward suffering. Regular consumers of Karamucho will tell you the heat is perfectly manageable. They are lying, but they are lying in the best possible way, the way that makes you reach back into the bag to prove them right. A Japanese convenience store staple since 1984, and still causing problems for unprepared snackers across the country. You have been warned. You will ignore the warning. Everyone does.