Indo-Chinese cuisine – known for dishes such as Chicken Manchurian or Hakka Noodles – originated in India in the 19th and 20th centuries, particularly in Kolkata, where many Hakka Chinese settled. The term “Hakka” refers to a Chinese ethnic group with a long history of migration, originally from northern China, but now also based in the far south.
In India, Hakka adapted their dishes to local preferences: Chinese techniques such as cooking in a wok and binding liquids with starch were combined with Indian spices, chili and garlic. This gave rise to an independent fusion cuisine that is now widespread throughout India. The term “Hakka” has become synonymous with Chinese-inspired street food with an Indian character – regardless of whether the recipe actually originates from the Hakka tradition.
There are versions of this dish that lean more towards one cuisine or the other. Here we show a version that is closer to Chinese cuisine.
We cut chicken breast fillet into bite-sized pieces and separate two eggs. Only the egg whites are needed here, as well as cornstarch.
Now the meat is thoroughly mixed with a little salt, egg white and starch. This is best done by hand so that no lumps form. In more Indian-influenced preparations, the first spices are added at this point.
For deep-frying, neutral vegetable oil is heated to approx. 175 C°. We do this in a wok and of course reuse the oil. If a wooden spoon dipped in the oil immediately produces bubbles, it is hot enough. Spread the chicken pieces over the surface of the oil and move them around to prevent them sticking together. Under no circumstances should you pour the bowl with the meat into the oil, but rather let the pieces slide into the oil as individually as possible. This is also best done by hand.
In this way, the meat fries to a tender brown in 2 – 3 minutes. The egg white and starch create a crispy and protective coating. Then remove it from the oil with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Now prepare the other ingredients: Peel carrot and cut into slices about 2 mm thick. In typical Chinese fashion, cut red and green peppers into larger triangles. We have explained the slicing technique here. Cut some spring onion into pieces just under 1 cm long for freshness.
We also need coarsely chopped garlic (if you prefer more Indian flavours, use ginger as well), coarsely diced onion (red for the look), soy and oyster sauce, a little light vinegar and palm sugar (or brown sugar) and some cold water in which more cornstarch has been stirred until homogeneous.
Again in the wok and on a high heat, onions and carrots are sautéed in a little neutral oil for 1 minute. This is a typical stir-frying process, the heat is high, the cooking time is short and the food has to be moved around the whole time.
This is followed by paprika and garlic, the latter of which we don’t like to add to the wok first (as many recipes suggest) because it burns quickly and becomes bitter. If you want to use ginger, do so now too.
After another 2 minutes, add the soy sauce, oyster sauce, vinegar, sugar and a few teaspoons of water and bring to the boil briefly while stirring. We now season with a little black (or sometimes white) ground pepper. The liquid cooks the vegetables and forms the basis of a light sauce.
As soon as the carrots – the hardest vegetables – are cooked (no longer raw but still crunchy), add the prepared chicken and spring onion and stir thoroughly so that everything is combined with the seasoning sauce. Then stir in the prepared water and starch mixture a spoonful at a time until a glossy, slightly thick sauce has formed.
We enjoy this on jasmine rice. If you want more spiciness, you can add fresh chili or chili flakes right at the beginning. An alternative to chicken is paneer or firm tofu. Both would be treated in the same way as the chicken.
Enjoy.
And may the taste be with you.
Ingredients (for 2 people):
350 g chicken breast fillet
½ tsp salt
2 egg whites
1 tbsp starch (for example corn)
300 ml neutral vegetable oil (for example rapeseed oil)
For the stir-fry:
1 tbsp neutral vegetable oil
1 tbsp chopped garlic
Optional: ½ tbsp chopped ginger
1 red onion, diced
Carrot to taste, approx. 80 g
½ – 1 each green and red bell pepper (approx. 100 g each)
1 tbsp soy sauce and ½ tbsp oyster sauce
Some black (or white) pepper from the grinder
½ tbsp light vinegar (e.g. white wine vinegar) and 2 tsp palm sugar or brown sugar
4 tbsp cold water and 2 tbsp starch
2 – 3 spring onions
