Ordering your takeaway is always a great task. It means no cooking tonight and Canadians are in for a treat with making their food choice just like the rest of us. Canadians are increasingly putting away the saucepans to see what’s whetting their appetite – especially with Eastern recipes.
The biggest winner in online ordering in Canada are Asian specialities like the Little Saigon menu page – a Vietnamese online takeaway specialising in foods like spicy calamari, crispy quails or the Saigon satay – you’d be forgiven for thinking it was Vietnamese with a hint of Mediterranean, French or Chinese – because it does what it says on the tin.
Other exciting dishes to suit the diverse Canadian palate include ‘Jason’s special’ - Two pieces of juicy lemongrass chicken with a medley of grilled seasonal vegetables with Little Saigon ‘Jason’ special sauce, topped with two fried eggs, and Coconut Curry Chicken Stew. East meets West with this delicious little dish of chicken, carrots, yams & potatoes cooked in an exotic blend of herbs, spices and coconut milk. (Served with rice or baguette). The French influences in Asian takeaways suit Canada’s history very well.
Again, you’d be forgiven for thinking Asian means curry or Asian means Indian. Forget this in Canada though, as alongside Indian takeaways you also get Thai and Thai Room is a particular favourite. Gai Phad Med Ma-Muang (cashew nut chicken) is a delicious dinner - sauteed sliced chicken with roasted cashew nuts, sweet pepper, onions and dried chilli – a must-have served up for Canadians with a discerning palate. You can also try a healthy quinoa option but done with a difference and fried - Thai fried quinoa with chicken, onions, sweet basil, egg and vegetables.
Canada’s secret love of Asian food isn’t such a secret these days. Immigration has impacted greatly on the country. Canadian food has been shaped and impacted by continual movements in immigration, with the types of foods from different regions and periods of Canada reflecting this immigration. The French poutine (originally made with French fries and cheese curds topped with a brown gravy), maple syrup (from the Indigenous peoples), butter tarts (a type of small French-Canadian pastry tart) and kraft dinner (macaroni cheese) were the original contenders for Canadian ‘national’ foods.
Nowadays, the influences of Asia have massively grown. Canada's population has surpassed 35 million, which represents a 1.2% increase over one year and a growth that's higher in the western provinces of the country. Chinese immigrants make up the fourth largest ethnic group in the country where immigrants from many other Asian countries are bringing Eastern flair to the Canada’s cuisine.
Canadian Chinese cuisine which has a French name too (cuisine Chinoise Canadienne) therefore, is a widespread style of cooking found across the entire of Canada. Takeaway Canadian Chinese food was the first form of marketable Chinese food available in Canada. The cooking style was created by early Cantonese immigrants who transformed traditional Chinese recipes to Western tastes (especially those with a French flavour) and any available ingredients. Canada without Asian cooking? It ain’t happening, man.