A century ago, Chinese families settling in Kolkata started cooking with Indian chillies and Indian palates in mind. What came out is now its own cuisine — and one of the most-ordered sections of our menu.
Where it comes from
Indo-Chinese is not Chinese food with curry powder. It is a genuine hybrid: soy, vinegar and wok smoke from one tradition; green chilli, ginger, garlic and coriander from the other. Kolkata's Chinatown made it, Indian college towns spread it, and every Indian family has a version they argue about.
The technique that matters is heat — a wok run hot enough that sauce reduces on contact and vegetables keep their snap. Done properly it tastes smoky, sharp and slightly sweet all at once.
What to order
Chilli chicken for the classic; gobi manchurian if you want the vegetarian equivalent with more attitude; Hakka noodles as the base of any Indo-Chinese order; Sichuan-style fried rice when you want the whole table to taste like the wok. Order one noodle or rice dish for every two saucy dishes so nothing is left swimming.
This section is also the peace treaty for tables with teenagers or first-timers who are unsure about gravies. It is on the menu page alongside everything else.
For parties and trays
Noodles and fried rice cater beautifully — they hold heat, they feed a crowd, and they disappear first at a birthday party. Trays start at $85 and serve roughly 10–12 guests, with medium and large sizes for 20–25 and 30–35.
Live Indo-Chinese wok counters can also come to your event. See catering or private parties.
Tamarind & Co., 1275 South River Road, Cranbury, NJ 08512 · (609) 598-1397