This is part 2 to the Takeaway Evolution series. You can find part 1 here and final part here.
Following from the previous part of the series, as mentioned much of what we know as “Chinese takeaway” in Britain isn’t traditional Chinese food. Though undoubtedly its origin hails from Guangzhou or Hong Kong, these dishes were designed not in adherence to traditional recipes, but an adaptation to British appetites, where ingredients were limited and through economic pressures, immigrant cooks had to use their creative instincts to make a living. The result was a fusion of Chinese flavours that caters to British palates.
In comparison to Chinese-American cuisine, there are clear distinctions that are shaped by differences in specific cultural and historical environments despite sharing similar roots. While Chinese-American food has made global inroads and standardised through chains like Panda Express, British Chinese cuisine still remains largely localised, with regional differences within the UK food landscape.
British Chinese food developed in a very different context: post-war working-class Britain, where chip shops and curry houses dominated fast food culture. As a result, British Chinese food absorbed these influences. It often emphasizes sweet, salty and umami over intensely spicy or garlicky flavours. The result is a more comforting food that aligns with the British fondness, that’s filling and easy to eat with a fork or spoon.
What’s On the Menu
In this section, we’ll dive into the origins of some of the most iconic British Chinese takeaway dishes, how they were adapted to form new dishes, and what they reveal about the cultural exchange between Britain and its Chinese communities.
Sweet and Sour Chicken Balls
The classic sweet-and-sour pork (咕噜肉) is iconic to Cantonese cuisine. The British version is often served with crispy thick battered chicken “balls”, though other types of meat such as prawns are also part of the options. Chicken pieces are dipped in thick batter and then deep fried, similar methods used for battered fish in fish and chips. Smothered in the sweet, tangy sauce brings out just enough of an interesting twist without being too alien.
Chow Mein (Crispy or Soft Noodles)
Although Chow Mein is not particularly stand out as a British Chinese dish, but it has became a staple side dish for many who order a Chinese takeaway. Instead of the thin noodles, thick egg noodles are often used in takeaway style. Customers are free to customise their chow mein as a main dish with various mixes of vegetables, onions, beansprouts with a choice of meat. In some takeaways, noodles were often fried to a crisp to appeal to British preferences for texture and heartiness.
Salt and Pepper Everything
Salt and pepper dishes are quite renowned in Cantonese cuisine. How Chinese takeaways in the UK have taken it further by blending the flavour into different types of food such as; chips, chicken wings, tofu, siu mai…the variation is endless. Though there are no official accounts on how it started, rumours suggested the trend might have emerged in the late 1980s and 1990s, possibly in Liverpool or Manchester. The ingredients are deep-fried and tossed in a mixture of salt, chilli, garlic, onions, and five-spice. The spicy and savoury flavour is so addictive—it has become one of the most popular takeaway dishes in recent years.
Chinese Curry Sauce
It has been said that every culinary culture has their own version of curry sauce even though it has its origin from India. However, it became widely popular in many chip shops. Chinese takeaways were no exceptions, adopting it and infuse a distinct Chinese curry flavour into their dishes. A thick, slightly spicy yellow curry sauce that is often cooked with a choice of vegetables and protein. Or just poured over chips on its own. It has a blend of fruity and savoury flavour that made it unique from other styles of curry. Though each takeaway will have their own recipe, this fusion of Chinese cooking technique and British chip shop culture can only be found in the UK.
Crispy Aromatic Duck with Pancakes
Unlike many takeaway favourites, this dish was hailed from the North Western region of China, based on the classic Beijingnese dish; the Peking duck—but transformed into something more accessible and deliver-friendly. Roast duck is shredded and served with thin pancakes, spring onions, cucumber and hoisin sauce. It became a sit-down takeaway speciality, often reserved for weekends or celebrations. Despite its Chinese imperial origins, crispy aromatic duck as we know it is a British reimagining, catered for takeaway kitchens local budgets, whilst still maintaining the rich flavour and texture.
Food, Identity, and “Authenticity”
For years, British Chinese takeaway dishes have been considered by many including members of the Chinese diaspora for being “inauthentic.” Too sweet. Too greasy. Too Westernised. Not really Chinese. But how do we define authenticity?
The origin of Chinese takeaway food represented the struggle of early Chinese immigrants. A culinary evolution formed in response to migration, marginalisation, and necessity. Just as language and culture evolves in diaspora communities, so too does food. What’s served in a foil container in Birmingham is no less valid than what’s served in a family kitchen in Kowloon—it simply tells a different story.
For many British Chinese families, especially second-generation kids, these dishes hold deep emotional value. They remind us of long nights behind the counter, family dinners after closing up shop, or the rare treat of ordering our own food rather than cooking it. We might laugh about the fact that no one else eats sweet and sour chicken balls back in Hong Kong, but it’s still part of the food history of our community. The British Chinese menu may have been born from compromise, adapting and evolving but it has since become a cultural inheritance in its own right. To me that’s what makes it authentic.
More Than Just a Takeaway
No matter how different Chinese takeaway food has changed from its original recipe, the British Chinese menu is a cultural artefact in its own right. It tells us as much about British tastes as it does about the resilience and adaptability of the Chinese diaspora. The British Chinese takeaway endures not as a relic, but as a living part of the cultural fabric of modern British culture. However the evolution doesn’t stop here, in the next part of the series we’ll look into the current trends and the future development Chinese cuisine in the UK.
The next Part: