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When most people think of fish and chips, they automatically think of Britain. Fish and chips have been a long-standing culinary staple in the UK, but did you know that this iconic dish actually didn’t originate in England? 

Source: https://pixabay.com/photos/fish-and-chip-fried-fish-chip-3039746/ 

Battered Fish: Where It All Began

The first two fish and chip shops, or “chippies”, opened in England in the 1860s were Lee’s in Lancashire and Malin’s in the East End, London. However, the origins of fish and chips actually date as far back as 15th Century Portugal. After the Spanish Inquisition banned Judaism in the 15th Century, hordes of Spanish Sephardic Jews were forced to flee the country, many of whom landed in neighbouring Portugal. Shortly after, the Portuguese King Manuel I married Isabella of Spain who insisted that all Jews in Portugal must be kicked out of the country or baptised. This turn of events, coupled with the Spanish takeover of Portugal, forced a large number of Jews to flee to other parts of Europe, such as England. 

As an increasing number of Sephardic Jews settled in the British isles, their culinary traditions began to take off. One such tradition was their preparation of white fish –such as cod or haddock– in a thin batter. This culinary culture was a result of the Jewish religion prohibiting cooking on the Jewish Sabbath from sundown on Friday evening until sundown on Saturday. Since they were unable to cook during this period, Jewish families had to find creative ways to prepare food on Friday that would last them through to Saturday evening. This is where the batter we all know and love came from. It allowed them to preserve the fish to eat cold on Saturday and locked in the flavour. The Brits took notice of this method of preparation and soon Jewish people who had fled to the UK began selling this fried fish on the streets of England. 

As trawl fishing boomed in the North Sea, allowing for the cheap movement of fish across the UK, this Jewish culinary condition grew in popularity across the British Isles. The development of the British railroad further spurred this development, making it easier and cheaper to transport ingredients around the UK.

The Humble Chip: A History

The origins of chips are somewhat more of a mystery. Many say that fried potatoes started off in Belgium as long ago as winter 1680 when the temperatures dropped so low that the River Meuse froze. Legend has it that the frozen river prompted local women to cut potatoes into the shape of fish and fry them in oil to keep their families from starving. While it’s not clear when exactly chips arrived in the United Kingdom, we know that they had made their arrival by 1860 (when the first chippies opened in England). Again, many food historians bestow the credit on a Jewish cook named Joseph Malin who was living in England and opened his iconic chippy in London’s East End in 1860. Malin’s was the first chippy in London and didn’t close its doors until the seventies. 

While we may not know exactly when or where chips came from, we do know that the British quickly embraced them as their own. During World War I, Prime Minister David Lloyd George famously kept fish and chips off the ration list, a tradition that remained during World War II.

Not much has changed for this British culinary staple over the years, with many following the old adage ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.’ Perhaps the biggest change to chippy traditions is how fish and chips are served. Traditionally, fish and chips came wrapped in yesterday’s newspaper, but this tradition came to a halt in the eighties when it was decided that it was no longer safe to have food in close contact with newspaper ink. Local chippies now commonly serve fish and chips in greaseproof paper. 

https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-photography-of-french-fries-with-cream-2034899/

How Fish and Chips Are Served Around The Globe

Fish and chips is a popular dish around the world, but different countries have their own take. While in the UK fish and chips are usually served with malt vinegar (maybe some tomato ketchup, although this is controversial amongst fish and chip puritans), in Scotland the tradition is to serve with brown sauce. Australians and Americans like to serve up their fish and chips with tartar sauce, the Belgians opt for mayonnaise, and the Danish prefer remoulade. 

No matter which sauce you like to serve your fish and chips with, there is one common thread; the chips need to be piping hot and fluffy in the middle and the fish should be flaky with a crispy batter.

Final Thoughts

Just like other quintessential British foods such as the national dish Chicken Tikka Masala, fish and chips might not have originated in the United Kingdom but the dish has become an iconic British staple. Its popularity has spread so fast, that there are currently an estimated 10,500 chippies in the United Kingdom. 

If you fancy having a crack at making your own chip-shop style chips at home, you’ll need a good quality cooking oil such as Pakplast, peeled potatoes cut into chunky chips, some salt, and some malt vinegar. Fry the potatoes until golden and remove and drain on a piece of kitchen roll. When you’re ready to serve your chips, re-heat the oil and fry until they’re crispy and golden on the outside. Serve wrapped in greaseproof paper with salt, vinegar, and a lovely piece of battered cod.