China chilo facts for kids

China chilo is an old English stew from the 1800s. It's made with mutton (which is meat from a grown-up sheep). This tasty stew has onions, peas, and lettuce. It's usually served with a ring of rice around it.

Experts think the "China" part of the name comes from the rice, which was a special ingredient from Asia back then. But what "chilo" means is still a mystery! Some people believe this dish was inspired by Chinese food. Sailors returning from the China Seas in the 1800s might have described a dish they ate there. Then, clever cooks in the Victorian era (the time when Queen Victoria ruled England) might have used ingredients like lettuce instead of bok choy, and peas instead of bean sprouts, to make their own version.

What is China Chilo?

China chilo is a hearty stew. It was popular in England during the 1800s. It's not a dish you'll find in modern cookbooks today. It shows us how people cooked and ate a long time ago.

How Was It Made?

Early recipes for China chilo often used a leg or neck of mutton. The meat was cooked slowly with vegetables.

Eliza Acton's Recipe

Eliza Acton was a famous cookbook author. In her book, Modern Cookery for Private Families, she shared a recipe for China chilo. She used leg or loin of mutton. She added shredded young lettuce, peas, and simple seasonings. These included salt, pepper, butter, and green onion.

The ingredients were stewed (cooked slowly in liquid) with a little water. Sometimes, cooks would add mushrooms, cucumbers, or even curry powder for extra flavor. Acton's recipe suggested serving the boiled rice in a separate dish.

Mrs. Beeton's Version

Another well-known cookbook writer, Mrs Beeton, had a slightly different idea. She suggested serving the mutton stew "the same as for curry." This meant placing the stew in a dish with a border of rice around it. This is how many people imagine China chilo today.

Maria Rundell's Method

In an even older cookbook, A New System of Domestic Cookery by Maria Rundell, the dish was made by simmering (cooking gently) mutton with onions, lettuce, and butter. This version was also served in the middle of a dish, surrounded by boiled rice.

A Meal from the Past

China chilo was a practical and tasty meal. It used economical cuts of mutton. The meat was cooked until it was very tender. It would fall right off the bones! Vegetables were added to the stew. It was always served with rice and fresh parsley.

Sometimes, cooks would make a soup first. They would use the mutton bones to make a vegetable broth. This made the meal even more complete and helped use all parts of the ingredients.