The UK’s love affair with curry is deep-rooted, transforming dishes from the Indian subcontinent into a truly national cuisine. From mild and creamy to fiery and bold, the British curry house menu offers a world of flavour. Many of the most popular dishes have even been adapted, or in some cases, invented in the UK, showcasing a unique Anglo-Indian culinary identity.

Here are the 10 most popular curries that dominate tables across the country:

The All-Time Classics (Mild to Medium)

These are the essential, must-have curries on any UK menu, perfect for most palates.

1. Chicken Tikka Masala
   Often cited as Britain’s national dish, this is the undisputed favourite. It features marinated, often tandoor-cooked, chicken pieces served in a creamy, spiced, tomato-based sauce. Its flavour profile is generally sweet and mild, a perfect example of a UK culinary adaptation.
2. Korma
   The go-to for those who prefer little to no heat. Korma is luxuriously mild, sweet, and creamy, often made with coconut milk, ground almonds, and a touch of yoghurt. It’s a comforting and smooth introduction to Indian cuisine.
3. Rogan Josh
   A fragrant Kashmiri classic, Rogan Josh is typically made with tender lamb cooked in a rich, deep-red sauce. The colour comes from liberal use of Kashmiri chillies (which provide flavour more than heat) and sometimes paprika. It’s an aromatic, medium-spiced dish with a signature depth of flavour.
4. Bhuna
   The connoisseur’s choice, a Bhuna is known for its thick, rich, and dry sauce that tightly coats the meat (often chicken or lamb). The name refers to the cooking process, where spices and meat are fried until the sauce is intensely reduced, concentrating the flavour. It’s usually a medium heat.
5. Balti
   A curry with a definitively British origin, tracing its roots back to Birmingham. Balti is cooked and traditionally served in a thin, wok-like pressed-steel bowl. It is characterised by a fast cooking process and a blend of fresh spices, resulting in a medium-spiced dish with a slight tang.

The Heat Seekers (Medium to Hot)

For those looking for a significant chilli kick and a bolder taste.

6. Jalfrezi
   Meaning ‘hot-fry’ in Bengali, the Jalfrezi is a fiery dish where marinated meat (chicken or lamb) is stir-fried with generous amounts of green chillies, onions, and bell peppers (capsicum). It’s a rich, tangy, and decisively hot curry that has quickly risen in popularity.
7. Madras
   Named after the city of Chennai (formerly Madras) in South India, this is the standard “hot” restaurant curry in the UK. It has a tangy, tomato-based sauce with a significantly higher chilli content than a Rogan Josh, offering a robust and fiery flavour.
8. Dhansak
   A unique Parsi-inspired dish that offers a complex blend of flavours. Dhansak is sweet, sour, and mildly spicy, made with a hearty base of lentils (dhal) and often includes vegetables and a piece of fruit like pineapple for a distinct tanginess. It’s typically a medium heat.

Beyond the Sauce (Other Popular Choices)

These fan-favourites showcase the diversity of the UK’s curry palate.

9. Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani)
   Similar to a mild Tikka Masala but with an even richer, more indulgent sauce. It features chicken in a velvety smooth gravy made with butter, tomatoes, and cream, often enhanced with a subtle note of fenugreek. It is very mild and deeply satisfying.
10. Vindaloo
    The notorious heat-king of the British curry house, Vindaloo originates from Goa and has Portuguese influences (derived from carne de vinha d’alhos – meat marinated in wine vinegar and garlic). The UK version is intensely spiced with large amounts of chilli and vinegar, making it extremely hot and tangy.