Indian street food
What is Indo-Chinese food?
Indo-Chinese food is a cuisine born in India: Chinese cooking techniques fused with Indian spices, sauces and heat. Hakka noodles, Manchurian and schezwan are its stars.
From the Tapri Chai kitchen · November 2026 · 2 min read
Born in
India
Classics
Noodles, Manchurian
Flavour
Soy, garlic, chilli
Cooked
Hot wok, high flame
01
Where it comes from
Indo-Chinese is commonly traced to the Chinese community of Kolkata, who adapted their cooking to local ingredients and tastes. Over the decades the food spread to every Indian city and became a staple of street stalls, restaurants and home kitchens.
Manchurian, the dish most associated with it, is credited to a Mumbai chef in the 1970s who seasoned fried chicken with Indian spices. The vegetable version became a hit and is now everywhere.
02
What defines it
High-flame wok cooking, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic and ginger form the base, and Indian touches such as green chilli, coriander and chilli sauce give it heat. Dishes are bold, saucy and designed to be shared.
03
The classics
The familiar menu is short:
- Hakka noodles: stir-fried noodles with vegetables and sauces.
- Veg Manchurian: fried vegetable balls in a soy-garlic gravy.
- Schezwan dishes: anything tossed in a fiery red chilli sauce.
- Spring rolls and momos: crispy or steamed, with a chilli dip.
- Chilli paneer: crisp paneer in a spicy sauce.
04
Why it is street food
It is made fast, served hot and shared. Roadside carts throughout India fire up woks on the pavement, and that is the flavour Indo-Chinese is known for. It is also an easy way for Indian vegetarians to enjoy noodle and stir-fry dishes.
05
Indo-Chinese at Tapri Chai
Our Tapri Bowls include Hakka Noodles ($14.99), Veg Manchurian ($14.99) and Peri Peri Momo ($15.99). We also make Noodle Spring Rolls (x2) at $9.99. Everything is vegetarian, served at 200 Kennevale Dr in Barrhaven, Ottawa, Tuesday to Sunday, 11am to 11pm.
Questions, answered.
Is Indo-Chinese food Chinese or Indian?
It is Indian. It borrows Chinese techniques and sauces, but the dishes were created in India and are not part of traditional Chinese cooking.
What is hakka noodles?
Stir-fried noodles tossed with vegetables and soy-based sauces, one of the best-known Indo-Chinese dishes.
What is Manchurian?
Fried battered vegetables or other items in a soy-garlic-chilli sauce. The vegetable version is a classic.
Is Indo-Chinese food vegetarian?
It can be. Vegetarian versions use vegetables, paneer or noodles. All of Tapri Chai’s food is vegetarian.
Where can I get Indo-Chinese food in Ottawa?
Tapri Chai in Barrhaven serves Hakka Noodles, Veg Manchurian and Peri Peri Momo.
At Tapri Chai
Taste it for yourself.
Our kitchen in Barrhaven is 100% vegetarian. 200 Kennevale Dr Unit 104, Ottawa. Tuesday to Sunday, 11am to 11pm. Closed Mondays.