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    A Most Delicious Friendship: A Short History of Pakistani-Chinese Cuisine

    Written by: Mahnoor Fatima
    Posted on: July 24, 2020 | | 中文

    Chicken Manchurian from Yuan Tung, Karachi

    It is well established that a majority of urban Pakistanis love their Chinese food. But unbeknownst to many, this circumstance has been the culmination of a long relationship that the Chinese have had with the Subcontinent. Most Chinese food found here belongs to a variant called Indo-Chinese Food and more specifically, Pakistani-Chinese food. It is often a collection of tangy, sticky and spicy sauces that cling to different succulent meats served with a fresh plate of fried vegetable rice or chow mein noodles. These delicious dishes are part of a long history of migration and hybrid cuisines, which have characterized the food of the Chinese living in South Asia since colonial times.

    Chinese immigrants have been in the Subcontinent since the 18th Century, mostly centered around Calcutta during the British Raj. Migrants came from the provinces of Hubei, Guangdong and Shandong. Many of the immigrants were Hakka, a distinct ethnic and linguist group that speaks their dialect instead of Mandarin Chinese. They spread to all parts of India as traders, artisans, shop keepers, and of course, restaurant owners.

    Chicken Chow Mein

    Chinese immigrants entered and dispersed around areas of Pakistan in waves, following the country’s creation in 1947, the Sino-Indian War of 1962, and the creation of Bangladesh in 1971. A majority moved to Pakistan to escape Indian persecution and internment camps after 1962, while others were Chinese Muslims who chose to settle in Muslim-majority countries like Pakistan. They often settled in major cities like Karachi and Lahore, as well as smaller towns like Rawalpindi and Abbottabad. Chinese families had also set up restaurants in Dhaka and Chittagong in East Pakistan; they had to move to West Pakistan to escape political turmoil and begin their life anew.

    While there have been studies on Chinese immigrant culture in India, rarely have there been academic works on Chinese immigration to Pakistan. According to anthropologist Alice Ping-hsiu Lin, the Chinese community in Pakistan is not a monolith, but a diverse group with nuanced identities, who regard themselves to be just as much South Asian as they are Chinese.

    A.B.C. Restaurant in Saddar Market, Karachi in the 1950s

    Some of the first Chinese restaurants in Pakistan opened in Karachi. The first known record of a Chinese restaurant in what is now Pakistan, was A.B.C Restaurant in the Saddar area of Karachi, which was allegedly opened in the 1930s by a teacher named Li Dianxian. It was said to have been visited by Premier Zhou Enlai in 1964, who patronized the restaurant at some point before the restaurant closed down in 1988. Other restaurants include Hong Kong, or Four Seasons at the Hotel Metropole in Karachi, and the Golden Dragon in Islamabad. Mei Kong, which started in Karachi but now has branches in the major cities of Pakistan, is one of the more prominent, still-existing establishments which serves Pakistani-Chinese cuisine. According to the owner, the current chefs have been trained in Chinese cuisine by the previous chefs to continue the tradition of wholesome Pak-Chinese food.

    Golden Dragon in Islamabad, open since 1975

    As Chinese food began to take over the culinary scene in major cities of Pakistan in the 1970s and 1980s, it also became popular in Pakistani households. Women wanted to learn the strange yet exciting new flavors of thick soups and sauces with cornflour. It was seen as a weekend family treat, a welcomed departure from traditional Pakistani food. But it had the same comfort which came with familiar tastes and spices. Lack of ingredients or taste palette was not an issue: they simply adapted the dishes to the local taste buds.

    Chicken Corn Soup and Condiments

    At this point, it is worth talking about what is perhaps the most famous of Indo-Chinese dishes: The Chicken Manchurian. Made in a rich and spicy tomato sauce with fried, diced chicken and vegetables, the Chicken Manchurian is a thoroughly Sub-continental dish. The Manchurian has been credited to Nelson Wang, a third-generation Indian-Chinese, who made the dish as an improvisation in 1975.

    While the harsh winter climate of Manchuria province does not support poultry cuisine, Chicken Manchurian’s name is most likely derived from the soup ‘Manchow’, which is an approximate transliteration of ‘Manchurian’. It is not known how the Chicken Manchurian reached Pakistan, but it is most likely that a contemporary of Wang brought it to Karachi when a new wave of Chinese immigrants arrived in the 1980s. It did not take long for the dish to become amongst Pakistani diners.

    Homemade Chicken Manchurian Bowl

    Nowadays, Chinese restaurants are experimenting with signature Pakistani-Chinese flavors but also trying out more traditional Chinese recipes. And the concept of the “Pan-Asian” restaurant, which incorporates Chinese and other Asian palettes like Thai and Indonesian, has been steadily gaining popularity in more high-end restaurants.

    Meanwhile, although older Chinese communities in Pakistan have been dwindling for some time, the Belt and Road Initiative has created much greater visibility of both Chinese people and Chinese culture. With greater prominence, the diverse Chinese community in Pakistan would have more chances to share and record their histories. And as cultural exchanges between the two countries become stronger and more frequent, it would also be more interesting to see regional Chinese dishes bring more variety to the Pakistani culinary scene.


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    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021