UK’s favourite curry revealed as Brits claim most are too spicy to handle

TIKKA masala is the UK’s favourite curry – with 43 per cent admitting they can’t handle anything spicier.

It was voted number one in a poll of 2,000 adults which saw korma and butter chicken – both also on the milder end of the spice scale – come second and third.

But notoriously hot dishes such as vindaloo or phaal are nowhere to be seen in the top 10.

Commissioned by Onken ahead of National Curry Week, October 7 to 13, the research found 89 per cent of adults eat curry.

And they tuck into such dishes five times a month on average.

Following the poll, Paddy McGuinness teamed up with the yogurt brand to create a ‘Curry In a Hurry’ menu with Masterchef 2024 winner, Brin Pirathapan, as part of its ‘Feed Your Inner Happiness’ campaign.

Paddy said: “I’m heading off on tour soon, and trust me, the temptation of a takeaway curry is real.

“Onken brought me together with Brin to teach me how to make three quick and easy curries that even I can do.

“And let me tell you, I absolutely nailed it. I even added my own top tips, so you can make time to feed your inner happiness at home.”

Other popular curries include biryani and rogan josh to round off the top five.

While jalfrezi, Balti, madras, bhuna, and saag complete the top 10.

The study also found 41 per cent have tried to recreate their favourite takeaway curry at home.

And given its popularity, perhaps it’s no surprise tikka masala (31 per cent) has been attempted the most, followed by korma (29 per cent) and madras (18 per cent).

Brin Pirathapan said: ‘There are so many tasty curries bursting with different flavours out there, but a third of us only have one to two curry dishes in our repertoire.

“So, I created three quick and easy ‘Curry In a Hurry’ recipes, with top tips for you and Paddy to master at home.’

Those who make curry at home will typically spend 45 minutes making the dish.

With 34 per cent preparing the meal from scratch and 35 per cent using ready-made sauces.

But despite this, the research carried out through OnePoll found 58 per cent believe curries made at home are never as good as restaurant or takeaway offerings.

Those who feel this way claim homemade attempts fall short on flavour (68 per cent), thickness of the sauce (34 per cent), and spiciness (34 per cent).

As well as creaminess of the sauce (31 per cent) and tenderness of the meat (30 per cent).

Mathilde van Roon, head of Onken, Emmi UK, said: “The stats show Brits love curry but are put off by the time it takes to make one at home, plus they struggle to get the same flavours and creaminess.”