favourite dishes of the British in 2009

[Deleted]

I was unable to find a more recent list of favourite British food, so this will have to do for the time being.

1. Spaghetti Bolognese
2. Roast dinner (meat + 2 vegetables)
3. Chili con carne
4. Lasagne
5. Cottage or shepherd's pie
6. Meat or fish stir-fry
7. Beef casserole (with mash)
8. Macaroni & cheese
9. Toad in the hole
10. Meat, fish or vegetable curry

[lagatta]

I'm surprised that curry or tikka masala didn't come hither. I suppose this might be more the dishes British people like to make at home. Of course a roast dinner is very general, as it could be many types of roast (and is something people in many countries are fond of as Sunday dinner, or the equivalent in their culture). Chilli con carne rather surprises me.

Here is the first spag bol recipe that turns up at BBC Food (which is a very good site): www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/spaghettibolognese_67868 Though I doubt most people use as many ingredients when it is simple daily fare.

I found your survey. This, about lasagne, is ridiculous:

4. Lasagne
Unlike in Italy, where there is only one recipe for lasagne, Brits feel free to mix it up with different variations on traditional lasagne – vegetables, meat, lentils and even fish!

There are MANY recipes for lasagne in Italy. The only one that sounds strange in the list is lentil lasagne. Italians eat lots of lentils, but not on pasta.

Then you get this charming person: "curry is sick BECAUSE ITS NOT ACTUALLY ENGLISH GOD DAMNIT. i mean, a Roast Dinner isn’t ever going to be Pakistan’s top meal is it??"

Perhaps not a British roast dinner, but roast lamb or mutton on a spit, definitely! Top meal, maybe not as many couldn't afford it every week, but certainly very popular, according to a friend of mine who is half South Indian and half Pakistani.

[onlymark]

In a related way there is a survey detailed the 50 things we love best about Britain. There is quite a bot of food on the list -

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2095973/50-things-love-best-Britain-nation-food-lovers.html

[auntieannie]

Gatta, I see the lentil lasagne being more like lentils replacing the ground meat. depending on which lentil/dal you use, with the right seasoning, it would be quite the imitation, no?

[mickthecactus]

I'm surprised Doner Kebab isn't on the list..........

[tod2]

Mick, only recently did I find out the spelling of Doner Kebab......I always thought it was Donna Kebab.
She'll be disappointed now won't she ;D

[imec]

Around here they call it Donair

[lagatta]

Yes, auntie, it is a vegetarian imitation of lasagne with mince (ground beef). In Italy, if you want a vegetarian lasagne, you simply make it with béchamel and/or cheeses (according to recipe and region) and simply don't include any meat.

Here they are more likely to call the meat version shawarma and the chicken, shish taouk. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shish_taouk_(Montreal) As you can see, many Lebanese Montrealers are not happy about the name, first used by a (very ordinary) Lebanese fastfood chain. I think the "Donair" spelling originally hails from Halifax, Nova Scotia.

But isn't Döner Kebab Germany's national food now? And I suppose we should get back to popular British foods...

[Deleted]

Doner Kebab is supposed to be a German invention anyway. Perhaps somebody can dig up a list of the most popular German foods and start a thread about that.

[hwinpp]

I don't think it's a German invention. Just like pizza is a New York invention probably...

I don't think it was a Turk who invented it in Berlin either.

It's an age old Ottoman way of preparing meat, and it's everywhere where they were, with local changes, pork for lamb in gyros, arab bread in shawarma. Not sure what it's called in Iran.

But yes, back to English food.

[onlymark]

I'm no expert on Iranian food I admit, but I have been there a number of times. I must say I've never seen the shawarma type of dish with meat prepared like in a gyros. I do know of something called berian which is more like a ground beef burger in arabic bread.

[hwinpp]

You've caught me out there, Mark. I couldn't remember whether I'd seen it there or not...

Ok, so the Ottomans didn't take it everywhere they were, I never saw it in Algeria or Tunisia either. Do they have shawarma in Egypt?

[Deleted]

Feb 7, 2012 7:27:08 GMT onlyMark said:

I'm no expert on Iranian food I admit, but I have been there a number of times. I must say I've never seen the shawarma type of dish with meat prepared like in a gyros. I do know of something called berian which is more like a ground beef burger in arabic bread.

Iranian Volunteers Serve Kebabs to Tsunami Survivors

[onlymark]

Didn't catch you out at all. You didn't know what it's called in Iran because (and I stand to be corrected) it's not a usual dish there, I think.
Do they have shawarma in Egypt? Shit loads Lots. Here in Jordan as well, costs about 0.70 euro for a version where they wrap Arabic (pita type) bread around some and serve it rolled up to be eaten as you walk along.

Anyway, before we stray too far away, number 9 on the list, toad in the hole - can't say I know of anyone who's made it for years. As you would expect, there is a frozen version you stick in the oven but I very much doubt it's ever made fresh normally any more.

k2, I read recently that Marks and Spencer are bring out a new food line - slices of pizza you put in a toaster. I suggest for your biannual pizza fest you might look out for them at the new store in Paris. I'm sure you'd feel they were on a par with the best of French food.

[onlymark]

Looks like they know of it then askar, good find.
I was posting as you did.

If you look at the wikipedia article on shawarma it list loads of countries but funnily enough, not Iran then.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shawarma