One thing all Indians indisputably love is Chinese food or what is our version of it: "Chindian” food (Indian Chinese). For over a century, Kolkata has been the beating heart of these desi flavours that have now become a cuisine of their own. From the fiery Sichuan-inspired dishes to the deep-fried indulgences, to now those with a health conscious twist. Trincas repackages it all.
Trincas in Kolkata is bringing a revamped Chindian menu that preserves and respects traditional flavours while giving the cuisine a modern and health-conscious twist. The restaurant claims that it is not a menu, but a story woven in history.
Trincas is retaining its bold flavours, while also incorporating fresh ideas to ensure you feel slightly less guilty as you relish the dishes. Sliced chilli chicken replaces the meat's deep-fried chunks; vegetarian ingredients like lotus stem, water chestnut, and broccoli take centre stage in hearty stir-fries; and nutrient-packed mushrooms become the star.
At Trincas you can now enjoy familiar flavours of Sichuan prawns without the deep frying. The reimagined menu also has healthy options like the dragon-style stir fry with cashew nuts, and the sizzling stir fried vegetables served on a smoking hot plate and flavoured with sesame.
Vegetables are also combined with proteins in gravies in dishes like the garlic prawn Cantonese style (Bok choy and water chestnuts) or the chilli basil roast lamb that has deliciously crunchy long beans.
Mushrooms, a superfood, also appear in the restaurant’s star dishes including the wine and garlic-touched trio of mushrooms, babycorn Hunan style, and the ginger-forward mushroom fried rice.
Kolkata is uproarious about its food. Touching a cuisine that is rooted in the city’s culinary fabric for over a century can be considered risky. The new menu at Trincas not only preserves the classics, but also makes them relevant to the flavours and preferences of the present. But how did this love for "Chindian" food come into being?
Chinese food came to India via immigrants who migrated in the face of war and famine in their homeland. The migration began in the 1800s and continued. With them, they brought food that underwent many changes because of the unavailability of ingredients in India.
Dishes like Chow Mein were reinvented, stir fries replaced exotic meats with chicken or local red meats, and broths started having more gravy. Indian spices that were easily available added a kick to the recipes and subtle herbs that could not be found were soon replaced or substituted with India's punchy spices. Thus, the Indianisation of Chinese food began.
India’s first Chinatown came up in Tiretti Bazaar in central Calcutta. Until the 1800s, Indians had not seen noodles, soy sauce, or chopsticks. However, the cuisine's mass appeal took over. The following century, Chinese food spread out to other Indian metropolises and eventually to smaller towns.
Kolkata has been the launch pad of Chinese food in India, but over the years, the city has also played its role to skyrocket the cuisine to its newer avatar. Trincas, with its new menu, is aiming for a culinary transformation once again—this time, by taking a healthier route.
