Spain falls in love with fish ‘n chips… thanks to the bizarre ingredient: CORNFLAKES
Britain exports countless cultural phenomena around the world. From Adele’s books to Agatha Christie, people around the world love what we create.
But in Spain, British cuisine has struggled for centuries to gain a foothold. Britain’s often stodgy and rarely spicy food pales in comparison to the light and exotic delicacies served on the continent.
However, the tide could soon turn in our favor, thanks to the hard work of two Spanish brothers who have spent the past nine years adapting the age-old British classic to Spanish tastes.
Majid and Mani Alam, two brothers who opened Barcelona’s first fish and chip shop in 2015, have aggressively grown their fish and chip empire, partly thanks to a recipe that few in Britain would recognise.
The Alam brothers, originally from Pakistan, use a batter made from corn flakes, a recipe given to them by their grandmother.
Majid told the Times: ‘Our grandmother made the batter with cornflakes and we loved it, it has a wonderful crunch and taste, and we do that now too.’
They said fish and chips is in their cultural DNA because it shares a root with a Pakistani dish called ‘tali machli’, a deep-fried fish dish made with a spiced batter.
“Tali machli… is a staple of Pakistan, and fish and chips is also a legacy of the British empire there,” Majid said.
Majid and Mani Alam (pictured, center and right) have been selling the idea of fish and chips to the Spanish for the past nine years.
The brothers opened their first fish and chip shop in 2015
Their fish and chips use a batter made with cornflakes
After selling this spicy version of fish and chips for the past few years, the brothers believe Spaniards are now ready for the classic British version.
Mani said: ‘We just opened a shop last week in El Poblenou (in Barcelona), not far from the beach, serving British fish and chips. Without corn flakes and with vinegar, mushy peas and of course curry sauce, a tribute to the classic dish.’
The brothers founded their first fish and chip shop after developing a deep craving for the dish during a night out in Barcelona.
Majid said: “Our family thought we were crazy, and we had our doubts too. But the basis of our concept is the use of delicious fresh fish from Spain and its extra virgin olive oil.’
The brothers also jokingly wondered how strong the British claim to the meal really was.
Referring to the theory that Sephardic Jews who settled in England in the 17th century brought with them battered fried fish, Mani said: ‘I was reading a bit about fish and chips and they come from Andalusia, right?
‘Fish and chips were born in Spain.’
Majid joked: ‘The English robbed everything. We just give it back.”