30-07-2025
A yum Indo-Chinese treat!'
Around 33km from Kolkata is Achipur where a red tomb lies. It is the occupier of the grave that gave the locale its name. Tong Atchew, said to be from the Hakka community, was the first Chinese person to land on the Indian shores in the 18th century. Soon many joined him to work on the sugar plantations that he set up there. The community thrived, sprouting a culture that combined the charm of Chinese life with the vibrancy of Bengal.
The careful sublimity of this marriage is still seen in two Kolkata localities — the Tiretti Bazaar and Tangra. The food from here, which spread to the entire country, is what is now known as Chinese cuisine in India.
Now, the Tangra food festival at The Leela Kovalam, A Raviz Hotel, is recreating this splendour in Thiruvananthapuram. The food festival features 25 dishes — the delicacies of Indo-Chinese cuisine — curated by Chef Rakesh and his team.
