Chinese by nature

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Cuisine as popular as Chinese is bound to have its equally favourite desi versions too. Better known as the “fusion of Indian with Chinese”, Delhiites swear by its flavours. As we gorge on a delicious and fiery fusion of Chinese flavours infused with Indian spices, experts tell us how the cuisine has been modified, keeping the local favourites in mind. The hallmarks being paneer and cabbage manchurians often garnished with cumin and coriander, which don’t even list in the Chinese menu.
“Ingredients like tomato, ginger, ketchup, red chilli powder, aromat seasoning are not a significant part of the Chinese cuisine as they are here. Indian Chinese dishes are mostly fried and served with sauce whereas authentic Chinese dishes are mostly grilled, steamed and even baked. Also in the Indian version, vegetables are overcooked so that guests don’t complain about raw vegetables being served, whereas in China most of the vegetables are slightly cooked or stirred in wok,” says chef Tarun Kapoor from The Metropolitan Hotel.
Experts further tell us that the use of cornflour in gravy here is extensive. Says Mohan Chauhan from Chi Kitchen and Bar, “Soy sauce and chilli sauce used in Indian Chinese is made in India so it doesn’t give an authentic flavour. They don’t really use the number of chillies we use. There’s hardly any gravy in any of their dishes but Indian tastebuds love gravy with chilli chicken or veg manchurian.”
And the desi version of a cuisine that uses minimum flavours, experts say that from just being much more spicier than authentic Chinese to the overuse of cornflour and the wrong cut of meat, authentic Chinese cuisine is vastly different from what is served here.
“And the most common mix of spices is Sichuan sauce made with Indian chillies like whole Kashmiri red chilli and tomato ketchup rather than authentic chillies or Sichuan peppercorns,” says Chiquita Gulati from Spice Market.
Many of the dishes listed under “Chinese” head in the menu are not even a part of the cuisine. For instance vegetable manchurian, potato hot garlic sauce, cauliflower butter garlic sauce don’t belong to the Chinese platter. “Also at several places now we get tandoori momos as the smoky flavour of tandoor is a hit among foodies and and so chefs are experimenting with by putting momos in tandoor. But it is not a Chinese concept,” says chef Tarun.
Tamanna Mishra, a Delhi University student who loves authentic Chinese confesses that the capital has majorly shifted the authentic flavour of Chinese to suit their taste. “From momos to crispy chilly potatoes, it’s funny how they’re selling anything in the name of Chinese. In fact none of the paneer dishes don’t belong to the Chinese cuisine. Also we use garlic is a major ingredient in Chinese cuisine which is not an important part of their dishes,” she says.

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Our very own desi manchurian
Ingredients
1 medium gobhi
(cauliflower)
3/4 cup flour (maida)
1 tbsp cornflour
Salt to taste
1 chopped green chilli
1 1/2 tbsp garlic paste
1 1/2 tbsp ginger paste
1 cup finely chopped onions
Finely chopped coriander leaves
1/4th tsp ajinomoto
2 tbsp soy sauce
2-3 tbsp tomato ketchup
2 tbsp oil

Preparation
Make a paste of maida, cornflour and salt using water. Take a teaspoon of ginger and garlic paste, add it to the paste. Dip the gobhi florets in the paste and deep fry till golden brown. Keep aside. Heat oil in another pan and add the ginger and garlic paste, chopped onions and green chilli to it. Now, mix aginomoto, soy sauce and tomato sauce to it. Add fried gobhi kept aside and mix well. Garnish it with coriander leaves. Serve the gobhi manchurian.