Indian cuisine is one of the most popular types of food in the UK. We love Indian food so much so that we even have a National Curry Week, which usually runs at the end of November. There are well over 10,000 Indian restaurants in the UK and if all the Chicken Tikka Masalas sold in a year were stacked up on top of each other, they would be 2,770 times higher than the Millennium Dome.
But why are us Brits so obsessed with this exotic food, is it perhaps the spicyness that is so often lacking in our own food, or is it the rich creamy curries like Chicken Korma that attract our morose taste buds. India is an extremely large country and much of its culinary history has been influenced by other countries and cultures. The Persians introduced a variety of rich ingredients and nuts as did the Chinese. You will also find that Thai and Malaysian food is heavily influenced by Indian cuisine, which has led them to creating their own delicious curries.
Whatever it is our affection for Indian food goes back further than you would think. In fact you can follow it back some 400 years, when the East India Company allegedly brought various ingredients and dishes to our shores in the 1600s. Most of these adventurous seamen were from Bengal, which is a region in the East of India.
You will find that Indian cuisine differs from region to region with the north being famous for bread dishes such as Roti and Paratha. Where as, if you travel east you will find that sweet dishes such as Rasagolla, which is a savoury cheese ball dipped in syrup is very popular. You will probably not find these dishes at your local Indian restaurant. This is because over time Indian food has been adapted to our tastes and is why you find dishes like Korma and Vindaloo on most Indian takeaway menus.
As more people from India immigrated to the UK our cultural diversity expanded as did our appetite for Indian food and the variety of dishes on offer. One of the first Indian restaurants to open in London was The Shafi back in 1920; it was started by two friends from North India. Ever since then the popularity of Indian cuisine has continued to grow. However, it was not until the 1970s and 80s that going for a curry became as normal going to the pub. It was at this time that many restaurants began to expand their service to also include Indian takeaway.
Our love of Indian food is stronger than ever and our culture has embraced this fantastic cuisine more so than any other. Its rich taste and use of exotic spices has made it a popular choice for couples and family’s all over the country.
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