How would you cool down chili that has too much chili powder in it?

So you made a delicious pot of chilli, perfect for a cold night at home ... except for one thing. You used too much chilli powder, and the chilli's too spicy for comfort. Don't worry. You don't have to throw it out. There are ways to cool it down.

Adding dairy is the quickest and easiest way to cool down spicy foods. Add a big dollop of sour cream or plain yoghurt to your chilli or mix some in to the pot. Slices or sprinklings of cheese can also soak up some of the spice.

If you have the time and ingredients, make a second batch of chilli, but leave the chilli powder out completely. When the second batch is done, mix the two batches together. The net effect will be to halve the amount of chilli powder in the chilli overall. This is the only way to cut down on the spice without changing the chilli's flavour.

Lemon or lime juice will help get your chilli's heat under control. Adding sugar also cools down heat, though too much can change the flavour of your chilli significantly. You can also dilute the chilli powder by adding a can of diced tomatoes or tomato sauce.