Cover Fish and chips, the quintessentially British food, has Sephardic Jewish origins (Photo: Getty Images)
Fish and chips, the quintessentially British food, has Sephardic Jewish origins (Photo: Getty Images)
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From sushi to sauerkraut and fish and chips, we trace the annals of food history to discover the surprising origins of these national foods
There are some dishes that are indistinguishable from the countries they come from—sushi in Japan being one of them, and fish and chips in Britain being another. But what if we told you that these foods don’t actually come from these countries, but from other places and cultures?
In actual fact, the history of food is intertwined with the history of human movement and migration, bringing disparate cultures into close contact. Sometimes it’s the result of a happy exchange of goods and spices; other times it is the result of trauma, war, and forced displacement. But it is undeniable that our food collectively tells the story of cultural exchange. There is rarely, if ever, a monoculture when it comes to food; with this understanding, the concept of “authenticity” as a dish with one true origin has to be reconsidered.
In that spirit, we delved into food history to find out about these iconic national foods that, surprisingly or not, originated from countries far away.
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1. Sushi
Above Platter of sushi, which actually originates from Southeast Asia (Photo: Getty Images)
Platter of sushi, which actually originates from Southeast Asia (Photo: Getty Images)
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Think of Japanese food and you’d think of sushi, that beloved national food of raw fish over a ball of vinegared rice (or shari). What you probably didn’t know is that this quintessential Japanese food has its origins in Southeast Asia, possibly around present-day Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar in the Mekong River basin.
Being this close to the equator, Southeast Asians possibly in the 4th century BCE had to look for ways to preserve their fish in the intense heat. This was achieved by first maturing fish in salt for a few months, before being fermented with cooked rice for another few months. The result is a salty, pungent treat that was safe to eat, even after months and years.
The delicacy probably spread to Japan around the 8th or 10th century CE and was known in Japan as narezushi. Around this time, the rice was usually not eaten with the fish, but over the centuries, the techniques of fermentation, ingredients and preparation gradually changed such that the rice and the fish were eaten together. Modern-day nigiri sushi as we know it is often credited to Hanaya Yohei, a chef in the Edō period, who pioneered the technique of moulding vinegared rice balls and topping it with marinated fish. The rest is history.
Read more: This sushi chef with a cult following has finally opened his own restaurant, Sushi Oono
2. Sauerkraut
Above Sauerkraut may have been brought over to Germany by the Mongols, or introduced by Ancient Rome (Photo: Getty Images)
Sauerkraut may have been brought over to Germany by the Mongols, or introduced by Ancient Rome (Photo: Getty Images)
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There are a few theories about the origins of sauerkraut, the iconic German national food of preserved cabbage. They all agree on one thing, however: sauerkraut is not native to Germany.
One possible explanation finds the roots of sauerkraut in China, where the tradition of pickling vegetables has been present for thousands of years. Then, cabbage was pickled with rice wine vinegar. The Mongols, who had learnt how to pickle vegetables from their conquests in China, seem to have brought the practice to Germany when they invaded eastern Europe in the 13th century, where it spread to eastern and central Europe.
Evidence suggests that it is also possible, however, that the practice of pickling cabbage originated much closer to home in ancient Rome, who also fermented cabbage in vinegar. Whatever it is, the current practice of lacto-fermenting cabbage in salt came much later.
Read more: 5 fermented foods to boost your gut health
3. Fish and chips
Above Fish and chips, the quintessentially British food, has Sephardic Jewish origins (Photo: Getty Images)
Fish and chips, the quintessentially British food, has Sephardic Jewish origins (Photo: Getty Images)
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As much as we think of fish and chips as a quintessentially British meal, a further inspection would reveal that the origins of this national dish lay beyond the British Isles. This style of frying battered fish shares many similarities with the way that Sephardic Jews—or Jews from the Iberian peninsula—prepare pescado frito, which is coated in flour and then fried.
The 15th century saw major traumatic events for Sephardic Jews, resulting in the forced displacement from their countries. The Spanish Inquisition by the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, Ferdinand II and Isabella I, expelled Jews from the country, who fled to Portugal; the Catholic Monarchs’ daughter, Isabella, would eventually marry Manuel I of Portugal, and would also expel Jews from Portugal. Some of these expelled Sephardic Jews made their way to England, where they brought the pescado frito with them. As for the chips, they are thought to have originated in Belgium.
The fish and chips we know today may have taken their current shape by the 19th century, with fish and chip shops—or chippies—popping up from the 1860s onwards. Today, it’s difficult to think of fish and chips as anything other than British, but it is, in actual fact, a product of migration, and cultural exchange.
In case you missed it: 5 Best Fish & Chips in Singapore
4. Biryani
Above Biryani, the staple Indian food, is actually of Persian origin (Photo: Getty Images)
Biryani, the staple Indian food, is actually of Persian origin (Photo: Getty Images)
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Many of us enjoy our curries and dals with a healthy serving of biryani, or rice infused with spices and splashed with saffron. It may thus surprise you that this staple Indian national food does not actually originate from India. We can instead trace the origin of this aromatic rice to Persia, or present-day Iran, where the Farsi word for “rice” is “birinj”, and the word for “to roast” is “biryan” or “beriyan”. There, a similar dish named pilaf (or pulao) was prepared.
It is unclear how biryani made its way to India. A possible explanation lies with Arab traders, who brought the dish to India. Another explanation, as food historian Pushpesh Pant suggests, is that the dish was probably brought to India by way of travelling nobility and pilgrims. Either way, the biryani we know today was probably created during the time of the Mughal Empire, which blended the Persian pilaf with Indian culinary sensibilities.
5. Khao soi
Above The northern Thai dish of khao soi is believed to have been brought over by Chinese Muslim traders (Photo: Getty Images)
The northern Thai dish of khao soi is believed to have been brought over by Chinese Muslim traders (Photo: Getty Images)
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Khao soi is one of the most popular northern Thai dishes, and with its egg noodles swimming in a warming coconut curry soup, it’s not hard to see why. Khao soi as we know it today, however, did not originate in Thailand. It is believed that Muslim traders from Yunnan, who operated a spice trade route through then-named Burma, Cambodia and Laos in the 19th century, brought to northern Thailand a Burmese dish called ohn no khao swè, which similarly features a coconut curry soup with egg noodles.
About
Ethan is a dining writer with Tatler Singapore. Trained in literary arts and filmmaking, their work has previously been published in Esquire Singapore, Men's Folio, and with the Asian Film Archive and the Singapore International and Film Festival, across a wide range of interests from gastronomy to fashion and arts criticism.
Work
Ethan writes about exciting news in the F&B industry, specialising in fine dining, exclusive spirits launches, and new restaurants. They are always looking for riveting voices to bring something fresh to an already-dynamic industry.
Follow them on Instagram at @faustiangourmand.
