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What is the major contribution of British to Indian Cuisine?
In 1604, the British set up the East Trading Company in India. In 1773, they started the colonization. The British Raj lasted from 1860 AD to 1947 AD. British will be remembered for one of their major contribution to India, the Railroad system. The steam locomotives ran north, south, east, west, through rugged mountains and the main planes. The railroad system did not create new cuisine, but it became the major channel to spread regional cuisines to every corner in India. You could hear the hawkers yelling 'Garam Chai' (originally from Lucknow), 'Samosa' (originally from Lahore, now Pakistan) and 'Rasgulla' (Originally from Calcutta) at every railway station making them to be the three most common items of Indian Cuisine in every part of India.
The Board of Directors of East India Company did not allow the families or wives of its officers or the soldiers to travel to India. In 1687 the officers and soldiers were encouraged to marry Indian women. The Indian women were paid five rupees when the offspring was christened. The Gora Sahib (White Mister) was getting acclimated to Indian culture by taking Indian wives, wearing Indian clothes, and eating with fingers. As the East India company got dissolved, the whole attitude changed as India became the part of 'The Empire'. Gora Sahib imported English brides, the Gori Mem (White woman) or Memsahib. Memsahib considered Indians nothing more than uncivilized servant class, who needed to be civilized. Memsahib created a class of domestic servants. A typical single British household would have 30 to 50 domestic servants.
Head Servant (Valet), and Head Servant's assistants
KItchen: Cook (Khansama / Bawarchi), Scullion (Masalchi) Male washer cleaner, Water-carrier (Behisti), Waiter (Khidmatgar)
Animals: Chicken coup attendant (Murghi wala), Cow attendant (Gowala), Horse attendant and Groomer (Syces)
Male Sweeper (Mehtar)/ Female Sweeper (Mehatrani)
Coolie (porter, peon, grass mower, fan-puller)
Coachman
Gardener (Mali)
Personal maid to Memsahib (Ayah), Personal Practical nurse to Memsahib (Dai)
Clothe washer (Dhobi)
Taylor (Darzi)
Memsahib taught Khansama about cutlery. Bawarchi were taught to make puddings, pies and pastries using local ingredients. Memsahib did not consider Indian food fit for civilized masses. They hated the smell of Indian foods being cooked. The Goras (Whites) became self-absorbed and refrained themselves from learning anything about Indian Cuisine. Indians did not accept British food beyond the tea and Ketchup. The tea was modified to Garam Chai Chai Hot tea Latte, and Ketchup was spiced up Curry Ketchup. Anglo-Indians (children from mixed marriages before the Empire) accepted 'Western bread loaf' (Double Roti), cakes and cookies. In 1887, British opened a bakery in Delhi that became the giant known as 'Britannica Biscuit Co.'
Memsahib brought and planted new fruits: Apricots, Peaches, Pears, and Plums in the Nilghiri Hills. British improved local strawberry (Fragaria indica) in Mahabaleshwar. From England, they brought new vegetables and planted: Cauliflower (Gobhi), Cabbage (Bund Gobhi), and Kohlrabi. Today, India is the largest producer of Cauliflower.
Memsahib brought in flowers to decorate their homes, and planted: Carnations, Dahlia, Daisies, Gladiolas, Impatience, Lilies, Pansies, Petunias, Poinsettias (red), and some varieties of roses.
In 1901, Mrs. Bartley published 'Indian cookery general for young housekeepers'. Mrs. Bartley gives recipe for 'Masur dhall', and 'Sandhurst curry'. Sandhurst curry is a mutton curry. I have documented some of the historic British-Indian recipes in a separate section.
To the displeasure of many aristocratic Memsahib, some British fell in love with Indian Cuisine and created their own versions: Mulligatawny soup, Jalfrezi, and Worcestershire sauce. British coined the term 'Bombay duck' to describe a lizard like fish found under piers of Bombay dock. George V, had curry for lunch almost everyday.
Did Worcestershire sauce originate in India?
In 1884, a group of nuns set up a factory in Meerut to manufacture 'Macaroni', 'Spaghetti', and 'Vermicelli'. The Vermicelli has been well fused into Indian Cuisine as Sevian Kheer Recipe.
From United States, British brought Apples and Jerusalem artichokes. In 1836, British started to cut and bring ice from Wenham lake in Massachusetts. In 1860, Schweppes Tonic water was brought to India as a treatment for Malaria. The tonic water contains 'Quinine'. Modern beers in India are a form of pale ale. India pale ale was developed by British so the beer could last long time and stand the temperature variations during its journey from Britain to India.
The latest contribution by Indians living in UK to Indian Cuisine is Chicken Tikka Masala.