Brits favourite curries are getting hotter every year

BRITAIN’S love affair with the Tikka Masala may be coming to an end, as new research during National Curry Week shows the UK’s taste for hotter curries is increasing year-on-year.

Almost a quarter of the nation admits it now eats hotter curries than when they first started eating Indian food, according to the study by takeaway food delivery app for National Curry Week (October 5th – 11th) this week.

While 24% are now eating hotter curries than when they first tasted Indian food, 23% eat both hot and mild curries, and 7% say they have always eaten hot curries. Just 45% have stayed with mild curry like Tikka Masala.

Foodhub spokesman Wil Chung said: “The last decade has seen the Tikka Masala reign supreme as Britain’s No1 curry but, our research shows that tastes across the nation are changing and the iconic Tikka Masala’s place at No1 looks under serious threat from hotter curries like Rogan Josh, Madras and even Vindaloo.

“So, while the top two spots are currently still milder curries, their position is definitely under threat as Brits look to hotter dishes more regularly with most admitting they are now moving on from those milder favourites of the last decade.”

Brits can’t get enough curry, it seems. The Foodhub data shows that 11% eat curry between 3 – 7 times per week, with a further 22% eating curry at least once a week and only 10% never eating curry.

Brits are starting to eat curry at a much younger age too – with more than 1 in 5 (21%) enjoying their first taste of Indian food before their 10th birthday.

While the nation may no longer be stuck in its ways on choice of curry, the same can’t be said of its choice of curry house – 25% always go to the same Indian takeaway, and 38% alternate between 2-3 takeaways. We know what we like, it seems.

The average cost of a takeaway curry in the UK in 2020 is now £9.19, including rice, according to the data.

And while much is changing in the curry world, some things remain the same - Pillau rice (45%) is the UK’s favourite curry accompaniment, followed by boiled rice (20%).

Naan bread the UK’s favourite curry sundry (64%), followed by the Chapatti (10%). And 24% of people always order pappadoms and chutney with their curry.

Wil Chung added: “Londoners are, by some distance, the biggest fans of curry in the UK. Londoners eat curry most often – 2-3 times per week (15%), with those in the North-west second, based on 2-3 times per week (10%). Scotland comes in third (8% eating 2-3 times per week).

“Londoners also like hot curries the most  - with 23% of them choosing a madras, followed by Wales (20%) and the North-west (19%). And those living in London are most likely to move on quickly to hot curries, followed by those in Yorkshire.

“The Welsh are the youngest on average to first try curry (16 years and 1 month).”

 Top 10 Favourite UK Curries:

1.     Tikka Masala 38%

2.     Korma 33%

3.     Rogan Josh 20%

4.     Madras 19%

5.     Jalfrezi 18%

6.     Vindaloo16%

7.     Balti 15%

8.     Bhuna 10%

9.     Pasanda 9%

10.  Dopiaza 8%