What’s the National Dish of England: 4 Unknown Facts

After a tiring day, food is what helps you relax. It plays a significant role in our lives, whether to console a crying child or to make up with a friend after a fight.

You can solve many things with just a bowl of freshly cooked food. One such popular type of food is chicken tikka masala, which is popular in many countries.

Just thinking about a plate full of creamy and flavorful chicken tikka masala with some rice makes your mouth water. But have you ever thought that chicken tikka masala could be known as the national dish of England?

Most people in England enjoy cooking and eating it. For the last few years, the popularity of chicken tikka masala has increased in England and all over the United Kingdom, and people love it.

The United Kingdom comprises four different countries, each with its national dishes. One of the most popular national dishes is fish and chips.

1. Chicken Tikka Or Chicken Tikka Masala?

This is an insensitive question to ask someone and, most importantly, to a British or an Indian because both dishes are heavenly pleasing. Still, an Indian will probably choose chicken tikka, and a British will pick chicken tikka masala without hesitation.

Both dishes are mostly similar because there is only one difference: the sauce. A masala sauce was added to satisfy the British people’s desire for a creamy and saucy chicken tikka masala.

England is known for many things, such as its great history, quality education, art galleries, museums, and place with some of the best universities in the world. But who could have thought the UK national dish could be chicken tikka masala?

Great England is where many people visit for studies and jobs and to explore places with their family and friends. Among all these incredible things is one more important thing that has attracted people worldwide: their food.

You can find many great dishes from England and their recipes online, but chicken tikka masala is something you must try in a restaurant in England. Becoming the national dish of the UK and gaining worldwide popularity, this dish clasps every British person, even children and older adults.

2. What Is A Good Recipe?

Whenever I try to cook chicken tikka masala, I wonder how to get the same taste of home-cooked, delicious chicken tikka masala. Should I use the Indian or British recipes? However, this dish doesn’t have a specific recipe written. One can distinctly cook this dish according to their preference and mood.

Some people have said that chicken tikka masala is an Indian dish. Those people are not right but not wrong either because a dry chicken tikka is an Indian dish. British people added curry to dry chicken tikka for their taste. This meat served in gravy was named chicken tikka masala afterwards.

Now, look at a simple chicken tikka masala recipe you can follow at home.

• Firstly, to make this British food, you have to cut the chicken into cube-sized chunky pieces and marinate the pieces of chicken in yoghurt and spices like red chilli powder, garam masala, cumin, and black pepper.
• After the marination, bake the marinated chicken in a tandoor, which is a traditional clay oven with a cylindrical body.
• Afterwards, what is left is the curry or sauce; for that, you can use tomato puree and cream along with a blend of spices.
• Then, cook the puree in a pan with some butter. Once the sauce has the desired consistency, cook the baked chicken with the sauce.
• Your delicious and flavorful chicken tikka masala will be ready in no time.

Looking around, everyone has tips and secrets to make the perfect chicken tikka masala. Some people like adding coconut milk and black pudding into their sauce, while some add parsley as a garnish. You will also see people often using roast beef instead of chicken to prepare a unique dish.

This recipe can differ according to what you like. If you like spicy food, you can make the chicken tikka masala spicer with more chilli and pepper powder, or if you want a sour and creamy texture, add more tomatoes and cream.

3. History Of Chicken Tikka Masala

The origin of chicken tikka masala has many stories; one of them is that it was made by a Bangladeshi chef in Glasgow, Scotland, in the 1970s. Glasgow later became known as the birthplace of chicken tikka masala.

There was nothing like chicken tikka masala back then. There was only chicken tikka, which was famous back then. Still, unexpectedly, a customer complained about how dry the chicken tikka was.

When the Bangladeshi chef heard about it, he took some tomatoes, spices, and cream he saw in his kitchen and made a sauce to add to the chicken tikka. This recipe took over and is now loved by millions of people.

4. How Popular Is The National Dish?

As a child, I loved eating tomatoes with salt, but my habit of eating raw tomatoes faded away as I grew up. However, chicken tikka masala’s popularity only seems to boost daily and has a place in every British person’s heart.

Being sold in every curry house in England, people like to eat this dish with rice and bread. Sometimes, it becomes a perfect side dish with a glass of wine or any drink of your choice.

Some of the best places in England that serve chicken tikka masala and its variations are Dishoom, Amaya Restaurant, Lahore Kebab House, and Tamarind.

5. Putting All Together

Humans are always creative and excited, and so are all of us. Fish tikka masala and paneer tikka masala are the result of this creativity.

Chefs and cooks have not replaced this dish but made more varieties. The main course is chicken tikka masala, so people eat it with rice, naan, or bread.

Sometimes accidents happen, and sometimes, these accidents change history. The creation of Chicken Tikka Masala is one of those coincidences that has made a mark on England and Europe. Being served in all the Indian restaurants in England, Chicken Tikka Masala has now become a comfort food for millions.