The colonization of India had a strong influence on English cuisine. Having tasted the dishes served by the Rajas and loved by ordinary Indians, the British realized that food can not only satisfy, but also give pleasure.
Indian Cuisine in English Dishes
Asian vegetables, fruits and spices are arriving in the UK in a steady stream. Returning home, the ladies brought collections of handwritten recipes. The gentlemen brought with them cooks who showed their skills in preparing everyday and festive dishes.
Indian exoticism began to supplant the Franco-Italian delicacies, which had previously been considered the standard of taste in England. Colonial influences soon became central to British cuisine. Indian cuisine is rooted in British traditions, but at the same time it has changed dramatically. Chutney is a welcome guest of English cuisine.
After emigrating to England, chutney became a thick sauce. It is mainly prepared from fruits, not necessarily imported ones. There are mango and guava chutney recipes, but most British housewives make apple plum sauce. Vinegar is added to increase acidity. Sugar, hot spices and the most extravagant spices are also indispensable.
New borrowings
It would be a mistake to assume that the “importation” of Indian dishes into English cuisine occurred only in past centuries. For 500 years, pea soup in the UK has been brewed with equal parts ripe yellow peas and smoked pork or peas, celery root and freshly caught rooster.
Dal Tadka – a soup made from peas or lentils – has become popular recently, when vegetarian cuisine appeared in England. Dal tadka is made from boiled legumes, fried onions with tomatoes and numerous spices, and whole chili peppers, always dried. In the new Indian restaurants operating in England, tadka soup is in great demand.
The kadai cauldron also appeared in English homes. The meat cooked inside is called as follows: kadai chicken, kadai lamb. Kadai paneer is a vegetarian version of a meat based cheese dish.
First, the heated oil is flavored by adding cardamom and cinnamon to the kadai, after which vegetables are fried: onions, tomatoes, green peppers, garlic. The cheese cut into cubes is placed in a boiling mass and heated until melted.
Anglo-Indian cuisine is better than separate English and Indian dishes. It is not difficult to make sure of this, just go to a foggy island and try all the options yourself.