13 SEP, 2023
Sweta Gupta
Photo: Getty Images
India adores Chinese cuisine, but what we savour here isn't true Chinese; it has a special Indian twist. Indian-Chinese dishes sprouted when Chinese immigrants tailored their flavours to suit local tastes, especially in cities like Calcutta.
Photo: Getty Images
Fried rice, a popular Indian-Chinese dish, differs from its original steamed Chinese version. Ours is spiced with red chili powder, garam masala, and green chilies, making it a beloved choice in the Indian subcontinent.
Chinese chili chicken is distinct from its Indian counterpart. While Chinese chili chicken features offal of the bird prepared with a sweet soy sauce marinade, the Indian version uses chicken pieces coated in spices.
Photo: Instagram/leisurymeals
Chicken Manchurian, credited to Nelson Wang of China Garden in 1975, is a unique Indian Chinese dish. It blends Indian ingredients like garlic, ginger, and chili with a touch of soy sauce instead of garam masala.
Photo: Instagram/ poojas_foodlife
Surprisingly, in China, noodles are a popular street food, but they're not always the main dish. When they are, they're served in a bowl with a thick paste or broth, different from the stir-fried noodles with vegetables, meat, egg, and spicy sauce we find in India.
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Indian Manchow Soup is a spicy, brown, soy-based soup with vegetables, fried noodles, and meat, distinct from traditional Chinese soups.
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Chowmein is different in China and India. In China, it's boiled noodles with greens, scrambled eggs, and soy sauce, while in India, it's pan-fried, exceptionally spicy, and a household favourite with fried noodles in spicy sauce.
Photo: Facebook/ Garden of Recipes
Crispy noodles with a sweet and sour sauce, topped with a fried egg, are a distinctive feature of Indian Chinese cuisine. While crispy noodles exist in China, they are less common and often used symbolically during Lunar New Year.
Photo: Twitter/@IndiaCanteen
This Chinese dessert in Indian restaurants consists of fried egg noodles with honey and sesame seeds, served warm with ice cream. It contrasts with traditional Chinese desserts like steamed buns, agar-agar puddings, etc.
Photo: Facebook/Novotel Ahmedabad