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Why do Pakistanis love Chinese food so much?

Why do Pakistanis love Chinese food so much?

With the onset of winter Chinese food is all the rage nowadays in Rawalpindi.
23 Nov, 2015

RAWALPINDI: The desi palate has always had a fascination with continental food, whether it is Italian, Mediterranean or Middle Eastern cuisine.

But the flavours of the oriental have always occupied a special place in the hearts of Pakistanis, just like special relationship the country has with the land of their origin.

The garrison city is no exception, and with the onset of winter, Chinese food is all the rage nowadays.

The most sought-after item are the golden brown chowmein noodles, which have been seamlessly adopted by desi menus.

Served with vegetables and meat, this is a complete meal if preceded by a bowl of piping hot Chicken Corn or Hot and Sour soup.

For food lovers, this light dish turns out to be a pleasant change from the routine of desi food.

Soups, rice, fish, prawns and shrimp; Chinese dishes contain something for everyone.

Quite easy to prepare, egg noodles are boiled and then cooked with a little oil and vegetables, peanuts and boiled chicken pieces. Stir frying a wok full takes hardly 10 minutes.

In Saddar, most people make a beeline for Mei Kong – the oldest Chinese restaurant in the twin cities that was established in early 70’s.

Though recently, several Chinese food outlets have opened in Bahria Town, Murree Road and The Mall, Mei Kong is considered a haven for Chinese food lovers.

“For most people, seafood such as fish, lobsters and prawns are favourite items in the winter, but Chowmein is popular all year round. We usually follow traditional Chinese recipes, but we have made a few minor alterations,” said Usman Khalil Noon, owner of Mei Kong.

He said their Chowmein contained carrots, beans, capsicum as well as chicken, prawns and fish pieces to give it a different flavour.

“Chinese Rice is also a staple dish. We cook the rice with vegetables, egg, chicken and dry fruits,” he said.

He said that most people go out to eat at restaurants at dinnertime, but weekends are busy from lunchtime onwards.

Even the rise of fast food, he added, could not dent the popularity of Chinese dishes.

He said that serving food with traditional Chinese hospitality was what attracted more people.

He said that their chefs had been trained by the Chinese chefs who ran the restaurant in the past, but had also learnt the craft from expert cooks in Dubai.

“Colour, fragrance, taste and presentation are our main features,” he said.

“Having roti or rice with meat and daal all through the week gets tiresome. Chinese dishes, especially soups and chowmein, are my family’s favourite dinner item on Sundays. It’s no less than a treat,” said Mohammad Ahsan, a customer at a restaurant in Saddar.

He said the children loved noodles and Chowmein.

“The crunchy vegetables and soft meat and noodles and sweet taste make them different from the food prepared at home,” he said.

Ahmed Malik, a customer at the Chinese restaurant, said that fish and prawns made with a Chinese recipe were marvelous as the outer batter is crispy and inner meat is soft with a taste of herbs instead of red chilies.

He said that the Chinese rice made with vegetables, eggs and meat is different from heavy traditional food of Pakistani cuisine. He said that for the weekends, Chinese food is a good option.

Published in Dawn, November 23rd, 2015

Comments

Gaurav Arya Nov 23, 2015 10:42am
This is not Chinese. This is Chinjabi (Punjabi Chinese Food). This is what we eat in India also. Look at the picture...food is decorated with cucumber and tomatoes with some green chilli. This is so desi...exactly how a restaurant in Delhi would serve chowmein. I tried to eat Chinese food in China once. Very bad experience. Desi is better.
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TooTrue Nov 23, 2015 10:55am
What goes for Chinese food in Pakistan isn't Chinese food at all. You're in for a rude awakening if you ever try Chinese food in (gasp) China.
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Usman Nazar Rathore Nov 23, 2015 10:58am
I love Chinese Food, but, i also believe that Chinese Food in Pakistan have been infused with Pakistani style cooking, if you go to authentic Chinese restaurants abroad, you may find the food texture and taste very much different. Did anyone else notice this too? :)
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SUNIL Nov 23, 2015 11:23am
It is a cultural onslaught preceding CPEC. What will be afterwards?
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Zak Nov 23, 2015 11:40am
We love everything Chinese, not only food, one day we will be one nation.
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SHAFIQUE RAHIB KHAN Nov 23, 2015 11:41am
Nothing to beat Pakistani biryani (especially, if cooked by my wife).
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FARHAN Nov 23, 2015 11:43am
not only pakistani but people of subcontinent
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sana Nov 23, 2015 11:45am
Mouth watering dishes, Chinese are the best in everything, no wonder they deserve to be the next super power.
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sonny afridi Nov 23, 2015 11:47am
I have tried cuisines from every part of the world and Chinese food is the tastiest.
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Rohit SEN Nov 23, 2015 11:50am
Take it from someone living in singapore that has sizable Chinese population, the "Chinese" food that you get in India and Pakistan is not like Chinese food ;) Also many of the Chinese delicacies have pork. What we get in the subcontinent is a localized version.
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Skeptic Nov 23, 2015 11:51am
Ummm.... because it's cheap!?
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A Fairdeal Muslim Nov 23, 2015 12:09pm
We love so much Chinese food because we cannot live without China. We are being used as foot-mat by this country, as was done by America.
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Abdulla Hussain Nov 23, 2015 12:35pm
Pakistanis love Chinese food because of its simplicity in preparation, healthiness & taste. Moreover because Pakistanis love china's friendship
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ABLE TABLE Nov 23, 2015 12:41pm
These so-called Chinese foods are not actually Chinese dishes. South Asians will not be able to eat the actual Chinese food. What we are eating as Chinese food is actually Mughal-ised version of the actual dishes.
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Ayesha Nov 23, 2015 12:43pm
The Chinese available here is adopted to cater our tastes, they are not even remotely related to actual Chinese food.
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S. Khan Nov 23, 2015 12:45pm
.... because its awesome
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lafanga Nov 23, 2015 02:14pm
Love Chinese food. The secret is in cooking at very heat for a very short time thus retaining the flavour. Desi food with slow cooking and spices kills a bit of the natural flavour.
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Just here Nov 23, 2015 02:15pm
Because it's considered a bit healthy and we love it rather than eating spices daily getting ulcers.
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Shankar Nov 23, 2015 02:58pm
Becaus, Chinese are Paks all weather friend that is why they love Chinese food...........
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TKhan Nov 23, 2015 03:07pm
A Jewish man and a Chinese man were conversing. The Jewish man commented upon what a wise people the Chinese are. “Yes,” replied the Chinese man, “Our culture is over 4,000 years old. But, you Jews are a very wise people, too.” The Jewish man replied, “Yes, our culture is over 5,000 years old.” The Chinese man was incredulous, “That’s impossible, he replied. Where did your people eat for a thousand years?”
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Ahmad Nov 23, 2015 03:23pm
We Pakistani love every food , Food is every stuff for us irrespective where it belong to .
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Jumz Nov 23, 2015 04:22pm
The writer should have tried the authentic chinese food before jumping on the keyboard. Visit china, taiwan, singapore or malaysia and let us know if your palate holds true!
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Malik Nov 23, 2015 04:58pm
The chef told me that Pakistani folks are crazy about chicken Corp soup and they make in big containers while in China no one really like it.
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shyam Nov 23, 2015 05:43pm
We Indians love all type of Foods. But Ahmedabad, Gujarat is the World Food hub. You can find nearly all types of food changed as per Indian/Pakistani test. Be in Chinese, Italian, Mexican, Japanese, American, Thai or any other type of food. I have been to Italy & China, but their food is not so hot and spicy as our food and you will never like taste of original Chinese food.
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asif iffy Nov 23, 2015 06:50pm
Chinese food in Pakistan is really 'fusion' food. Chinese dishes with lots of chillies and masala for the Pakistani palate. Real Chinese food is very bland-
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Muhammad Arshad Nov 23, 2015 10:15pm
Yummy, well its obvious that local cuisine does impact other cooking styles, you can say its Chinese food with desi twist. Even Chinese food have so many different styles, Oriential, Satuhzan, Mongolian, Continental/International Chinese etc.
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Tariq, Lahore Nov 23, 2015 11:18pm
This is MSG infested slop. Not Chinese food. Want to taste real Chinese food go to HK, mainland China or in the European capitals where the indigenous Chinese people go themselves.
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Lucky Star Nov 24, 2015 12:08am
Americans love Chinese food.
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