Stir-fry pips Chicken Tikka as Britain's favourite foreign dish

The Chinese dish stir-fry has beaten Chicken Tikka Masala to become Britain's most popular foreign meal, a new survey has revealed. 

One in five people in Britain have it at least once a week, with many claiming that the dish - typically meat and fresh vegetables fried rapidly in a hot wok - is far simpler to prepare than the country's traditional cuisine. 

Asian food is fast becoming a staple diet in Britain as families opt for dishes such as Thai green curries and beef chowmein over traditional fare three out of seven nights. 

The survey, carried out by Food Network UK, also found that sushi and noodles are now eaten as regularly as spaghetti and potatoes.



Half of the people polled also said that they found British dishes like cottage pie or bangers and mash too dull. 

"British palates have changed and we now have a penchant for exotic tastes. It would have been unheard of for a typical family to tuck into regular meals from Thailand a decade ago," the Mirror quoted Nick Thorogood of the Food Network as saying.



"It shows that what were once thought of as exotic dishes are now everyday cuisine for Brits," he said.



The top 10 international meals are

Stir-fry
Chicken tikka masala
Sweet and sour chicken
Thai green curry
King prawns
Beef chowmein
Lemon chicken
Thai red curry
Szechuan noodles
Peking duck

First Published: Jan 21, 2012 15:31 IST