My chow mein beats your chop suey anyday

May 18, 2016 11:20 AM

Chandrima S. Bhattacharya traces the journey of the ubiquitous Calcutta chowmin

Of interest.

posted by infini (10 comments total)

This perspective is woefully incomplete without a discussion of the merits of chow fun, especially with black bean sauce.
posted by I-Write-Essays at 11:23 AM on May 18, 2016

Indians love Chinese food, (as all right thinking peoples are want.)

My experience in India/Sri Lanka is that not a single restuarant does not have Gobi Manchurian in the menu. Cauliflower florets, battered in an almost tempura batter, fried and smothered in a sweet/spicy/vinegar-y sauce thickened with corn starch.

In Sri Lanka, every town no matter how small seems to have a Chinese takeaway doing a brisk business.
posted by Keith Talent at 11:32 AM on May 18, 2016 [1 favorite]

Every time we go back to Kolkata my wife insists on having chili chicken from several places. Which doesn't bother me the least bit. A Hakka restaurant finally open in Houston but it's about 45 minutes away, not very convenient. But man, very tasty.
posted by beowulf573 at 11:49 AM on May 18, 2016

Indian Chinese food was a huge revelation when I lived and travelled in the Subcontinent. It is a woefully unknown cuisine outside of the major centres here in Canada, and even then. Easily one of my favorite things from India (followed closely by Pav Bhaji).

Does anyone know of a cook book featuring this food? Or maybe a history of the food? I've looked but haven't come up with much. I've found the odd recipe online but nothing to substantially whet my appetite or my curiosity about this cuisine.
posted by Ashwagandha at 1:32 PM on May 18, 2016

There's a place by me that will deliver gobi manchurian and I literally DREAM about it. The best thing.
posted by jeweled accumulation at 1:51 PM on May 18, 2016

Try searching for Indian Chinese recipes? I'm overwhelmed by the choices so I'll leave it to you to choose.

The FPP link pretty much offers a peek into the history of Indian Chinese food.
posted by infini at 2:07 PM on May 18, 2016

My parents tell me that when I was a toddler, I'd insist upon and finish an entire bowl of sweet corn soup by myself. Mind you that would have been the heyday of the Calcutta Chinatown's culinary arts, according to the article.
posted by infini at 2:19 PM on May 18, 2016

a peek

Yes, a peek. I was hoping for something more substantial. Thanks for the recipe link.
posted by Ashwagandha at 2:23 PM on May 18, 2016

Feeling pretty justified in my recommendation of Indian-Chinese on yesterdays "what to do in bangalore" askme.
posted by Exceptional_Hubris at 3:08 PM on May 18, 2016

My taste buds still can't parse Manchurian paneer.
posted by hawthorne at 1:36 AM on May 19, 2016