I remember fixing a dish for a "Mexican/South American" potluck dinner.
They told me I almost killed them with the heat from a dish fixed at "normal" New Mexican red
level of "Mecxican" food.
I always wonder how watered down/changed American versions of ethnic foods really are.
Thai is one that I really see a difference, when they open it may well be spicy and hot and going back later are closed or Americanized to meet the tasted buds of the local populace.
I think "authentic" ethnic depends on a fairly sizable local ethnic population to keep the doors open.
I think back to a class I took in the LA area and one of the folks offered to take us to an authentic ethnic place. A couple of the folks could not use chopsticks and the restaurant had a difficult time finding utensils for them to eat with.
Having grown up eating "Mexican" food, as prepared by Mexicans, father and mother, I can tell you that not all "Mexican" food is hot. Much of it is spicy but not necessarily flaming hot. I have found that much of what I call "Gringo" food is made a lot hotter than Mexicans would fix it. Do Mexican have some hot foods absolutely but chili is more often used as a spice not to test the toughness of your mouth, tongue and palate. Lived in NM for 10+ years and do remember some dishes being fairly hot but never encountered any dishes that would particularly set me back.
