Hong Kong chefs celebrate Indo-Chinese culinary fusion as India-China ties thaw
As the BRICS summit approaches, two chefs in Hong Kong—Palash Mitra and Theign Phan—collaborate to showcase Indo-Chinese cuisine, a blend that has existed for centuries. The article highlights the cultural exchange between India and China through food, with Mitra recalling his Kolkata childhood where Chinese food was part of local life.
The culinary exchange dates back to ancient trade routes, with India exporting black pepper to China in the early centuries AD, while China sent cassia and star anise back. Over 200 years ago, Hakka and Cantonese migrants in Kolkata adapted their wok techniques to local ingredients, creating the foundation of Indo-Chinese cuisine.
Mitra recalls a street vendor named Chen Shiobin, who held a factory job by day and cooked at night while speaking fluent Bengali. This culinary collaboration coincides with the upcoming BRICS summit in New Delhi, where Xi Jinping is expected to make his first visit to India since 2019, following recent border tensions.
This culinary partnership could serve as a soft-power bridge, potentially improving public perceptions between India and China amid diplomatic strains. It may encourage cultural tourism and business exchanges in cosmopolitan hubs like Hong Kong, though its impact is likely symbolic, complementing rather than driving formal political breakthroughs.