‘Ordering a Chinese’: A debate on authenticity

Britain has an ironic twist on food: people loathe food originated from the island country but international cuisines are welcomed to flourish here.

Instead of ordering traditional classics such as fish and chips or a pie with mash, teenagers nowadays are more likely to fancy an Indian curry or Chinese takeaway, according to a Channel 5’s study.

However, when people from China and India travel to the UK and see how their national dishes are represented, they are often surprised by culinary styles and combinations they have never heard of.

Chicken tikka masala? Pouring sweet and sour sauce and curry sauce on an assortment of stir-fry? Where does that even come from?

Ahh, it is the unique British adaptation of foreign cuisine, which does not necessarily reflect the nature of dishes in their home countries.

In the era of diverse cultural recognition and appreciation, should Britain have a reflection on how dishes are treated when they wash up on the seashore?