Map reveals the surprising British birthplaces of global cuisines: From the ... trends now

Map reveals the surprising British birthplaces of global cuisines: From the ... trends now
Map reveals the surprising British birthplaces of global cuisines: From the ... trends now

Map reveals the surprising British birthplaces of global cuisines: From the ... trends now

Despite its Indian roots curry house favourite Chicken Tikka Masala is actually one of the many dishes that were surprisingly born in Britain.

In fact several British-Indian favourites were made in Britain - including the Balti which is said to originate in Birmingham.

But did you know that a vast smorgasboard of unexpected global food and drink - from fizzy water to the seemingly Italian lasagne - were first created on the British isles?

At MailOnline, we have created a map of these dishes, stretching from Glasgow, the birthplace of the Tikka Masala, to Hampshire, where some have argued the pasta dish lasagne originates.

The very surprising food map of Britain - from Chicken Tikka Masala in Glasgow to lasagne in Hampshire

Ali Ahmed Aslam (pictured, who recently died aged 77, said he invented Chicken Tikka Masala after a customer at his Shish Mahal restaurant in Glasgow complained about the dryness of his meat

Ali Ahmed Aslam (pictured, who recently died aged 77, said he invented Chicken Tikka Masala after a customer at his Shish Mahal restaurant in Glasgow complained about the dryness of his meat

Chicken Tikka Masala - Glasgow

The Scottish self-declared inventor of the Chicken Tikka Masala - who claimed he created the British-Indian staple in the 1970s - sadly died this week aged 77.

'Super' Ali Ahmed Aslam, 77, said he invented the dish after a customer at his Shish Mahal restaurant in Glasgow complained about the dryness of his meat.

To make the curry more palatable to the customer, legend goes that Mr Ali hastily mixed in a tin of Campbell's tomato soup and some spices to create what is widely considered Britain's national dish.

Despite its Indian roots curry house favourite Chicken Tikka Masala is actually one of the many dishes that were surprisingly born in Britain

Despite its Indian roots curry house favourite Chicken Tikka Masala is actually one of the many dishes that were surprisingly born in Britain

Mr Ali, pictured in 1979 outside his restaurant, Shish Mahal, which he opened in 1964. He died on Monday and his funeral was held on Tuesday

Mr Ali, pictured in 1979 outside his restaurant, Shish Mahal, which he opened in 1964. He died on Monday and his funeral was held on Tuesday

In 2001, Foreign Secretary Robin cook gave a speech where he hailed the dish as a key symbol of British culture.

'Chicken tikka masala is now a true British national dish, not only because it is the most popular, but because it is a perfect illustration of the way Britain absorbs and adapts external influences,' he said.

Mr Ali followed in the footsteps of his father, Noor Mohammed, who founded Glasgow's Indian restaurant Green Gates in 1959.

The Pakistani chef, who moved to the city as a young boy, worked as a bus conductor before opening up the West End's hit restaurant Shish Mahal in 1964.

Lasagne - Hampshire

British historians threw a spanner in the works of the Italian national identity when they claimed in 2003 that lasagne was actually an English dish.

An early form on the dish was made in the late 14th Century at the court of King Richard II - who built a palace at Portchester Castle in Fareham, Hampshire.

Researchers at the British Library studying 'The Forme of Cury' - the first English cookbook - written by Richard II's master-cooks, found a recipe for 'loseyns', the BBC reported at the time.

British historians threw a spanner in the works of the Italian national identity when they claimed in 2003 that lasagne was actually an English dish

British historians threw a spanner in the works of the Italian national identity when they claimed in 2003 that lasagne was actually an English dish

Researchers at the British Library studying 'The Forme of Cury' - the first English cookbook - written by Richard II's (pictured) master-cooks, found a recipe for 'loseyns'

Researchers at the British Library studying 'The Forme of Cury' - the first English cookbook - written by Richard II's (pictured) master-cooks, found a recipe for 'loseyns'

It is remarkably similar to a modern lasagne but without meat or a tomato sauce - as tomatoes were not used introduced to Europe until the 16th Century.

The recipe describes making sheets of pasta and layering it with a cheese and spices.

Despite furious protestations over the origins of dish by the Italian chefs and even the nation's embassy, a researcher said: I defy anyone to disprove it because it appeared in the first cookery book ever written.'

Sparkling wine - The Cotswolds, Gloucestershire

If lasagna's British origin caused an uproar in Italy, the true birthplace of sparkling wine - or Champagne - could cause a genuine international incident with France.

The secondary fermentation process for making 'Sparkling English wine' was invented by a scientist in Winchcombe, the Cotswolds, in Gloucestershire a whole 30 years before Dom Perignon, at the abbey of Hautvilliers, had the same idea. 

And the bottles needed to stop the pressure from cracking the glass were also made by the English at least 85 years before the French.

Sparkling wine was actually created by British scientist Sir Christopher in Gloucestershire, 30 years before Dom Perignon in France

Sparkling wine was actually created by British scientist Sir Christopher in Gloucestershire, 30 years before Dom Perignon in France

Sir Christopher Merrett (pictured), of the Royal Society, first described the secondary fermentation process in his 1662

Sir Christopher Merrett (pictured), of the Royal Society, first described the secondary fermentation process in his 1662

A lack of wood to burn due to ship construction forced bottle makers to switch to coal - which was hotter and therefore made thicker glass.

Sir Christopher Merrett, a founding member of the Royal Society, first described the secondary fermentation process in his 1662 paper called Some Observations Concerning the Ordering of Wines.

British vineyards would have been able to manage this creation - which exerts pressure on bottles three times stronger than that in car tyres - as they had switched to thicker bottles due to a government order.

King James I told the country to stop using wood in glass furnaces - as he was panicked by the depletion of Britain's woodlands that were essential for building warships.

France didn't start making these until the 1700s and even by 1833 they were still losing anywhere between four and 40 per cent of the Champagne region's wines due to 'exploding bottles', according to A History and Description of Modern Wines.

The danger was so great that workers were even required to wear wire face masks.

Balti curry - Birmingham

A Balti curry that is now a staple in curry houses up and down Britain had its origins in South East Birmingham in the mid-1970s.

The Association for the Protection of the Authentic Balti - a group who want to protect the Birmingham Balti the same way as a Cornish Pasty - say it was created in by a Pakistani restauranter wanting to attract British and Pakistani customers.

Two men enjoying a balti curry at an Indian restaurant in Birmingham

Two men enjoying a balti curry at an Indian restaurant in Birmingham

A chef cooking a balti with high burning flames at Shababs Balti in Birmingham

A chef cooking a balti with high burning flames at Shababs Balti in Birmingham

The Balti fused the concept of cooking and serving food in the same dish - a common technique in the mountainous regions of Pakistan - with fast cooking demanded by Western customers. 

A thin flat bottom Balti pan - which was designed and made in Birmingham - was used to ensure the food could be cooked at speed.

Bourbon biscuits - Bermondsey, southeast London

Despite the decidedly French name the humble Bourbon biscuit is entirely British in its creation.

The chocolate sandwich biscuit was created in 1910 by biscuit company Peek Freans but originally released under the much less appetising name Creola, according to the BBC.

Despite the decidedly French name the humble Bourbon biscuit is entirely British in its creation

Despite the decidedly French name the humble Bourbon biscuit is entirely British in its creation

But in the 1930s a manager at the company decided to rename the now iconic biscuit to something that sounded a bit posher - so they named it after former French Royal House of Bourbon.

So despite the biscuit's moniker, the bourbon is no more French than winning the Battle of Waterloo. 

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