It was around 6:00 A.M in the morning, A time of the day I am not familiar with. I stepped out of my apartment. It was clouded, it was grey.
Unshaven. Unbathed. Unfed. Red-eyed. I was nearly hoping for a text calling it all off.
But no, I could see my childhood friends 'Dadu' and 'Mal' as I call them waiting as eagerly. I have been an avid enthusiast about China, their Cuisine in particular since a long time now and i wanted to explore Kolkata's unique offerings.
A couple of nights back I had gone to eat at Tangra, a locality, often referred by locals as 'Chinatown'. And this time my long standing desire to checkout Tiretti Bazar, adjacent to the police headquarters "Lalbazar" and much heard oriental breakfast stalls.
Kolkata offers several interesting ways to start the day, but few as fascinating and delicious as breakfast at the Chinese market in the heart of the commercial district. For decades, this was where Kolkata’s large Chinese community lived and worked. Even though, from the 1960s, the old quarters were gradually razed to make way for office blocks and broader roads, for a few hours at dawn, the site reclaims its old identity as a traditional open-air market along the broad Sun Yat Sen Street.
My first stop was a few plates of dumplings from this friendly man. I proceeded to order two plates of his dumplings, which in this part of the world are known as “momos.” A dip in the hot sauce and I was pretty happy.
Even better than the steamed chicken dumplings were the deep fried pork dumplings! After a double round of dumplings, I proceeded on to order a bowl of soup filled with fish balls. Standing up, while resting my bowl of soup on a wobbly circular table, I thoroughly enjoyed my Chinese breakfast in the middle of always entertaining Kolkata.
Despite its unique ambience the only Chinese food market in India may soon sink into oblivion, along with the dwindling Chinese community in the city. Most senior hawkers are either dead or are too old and infirm to visit the market. And the young generation of 'Indian Chinese' is leaving India in hordes looking for greener pastures abroad.
The market was much more vibrant even a decade ago as witnessed by regulars. One could find areas like Bowbazar in central Kolkata and Tangra, in the city's eastern fringes, populated with the Chinese population. Tiretty bazaar, in fact, is the oldest Chinese hub, still called the Chinatown by many Kolkatans. The market can be considered a meeting place by the Chinese. "We gathere here not only to buy or sell, but also out of a fellow feeling for the community", a regular qoutes.
Lids removed from towering, multi-tiered steamers release fragrant steam into the air and reveal neat dim sum made with pork, fish, and chicken, and large rounds of steamed bread stuffed with pork and chicken. We snack on the excellent dumplings and packed the saucer-sized soft bun for the street. A baksawallah or patty man, is selling his wares from the ancient tin trunk traditionally used to hawk around those flaky pastry envelopes stuffed with curried vegetables or chicken. Other Anglo-Indian treats beckon: a tray of crumb-fried egg chops and golden pantharas—deep-fried, meat-filled pancakes.
Enterprising vendors are constantly tinkering with traditional products to adapt to changing tastes. On this visit, we discover chicken rolls/crepes stuffed with spring onion and chicken mince and rolled into long cigar shapes. Right next to the sealed packets of Chinese prawn wafers are freshly made “prawn wafers” and flat breads stuffed with shrimp. But not all the experiments are successful.
If you are a late riser then chances are that you may miss the delight as it starts at around 6am and by the time clock strikes 8 everything is finished.
Tiretta bazaar is in the Chhata Wallah Gully just beside Poddar court near Lal Bazaar police headquarters. This place is easily accessable from Howrah, Sealdah, esplanade Babughat bus stand etc.
The place is clean as compared to Tangra. The quality of food is also good. In China town there are some non-Chinese vendors also who sell these delicacies with equally good taste.
and yeah ... Do remember to take home some Prawn wafers/chips as a memorabilia.
Unshaven. Unbathed. Unfed. Red-eyed. I was nearly hoping for a text calling it all off.
But no, I could see my childhood friends 'Dadu' and 'Mal' as I call them waiting as eagerly. I have been an avid enthusiast about China, their Cuisine in particular since a long time now and i wanted to explore Kolkata's unique offerings.
A couple of nights back I had gone to eat at Tangra, a locality, often referred by locals as 'Chinatown'. And this time my long standing desire to checkout Tiretti Bazar, adjacent to the police headquarters "Lalbazar" and much heard oriental breakfast stalls.
My first stop was a few plates of dumplings from this friendly man. I proceeded to order two plates of his dumplings, which in this part of the world are known as “momos.” A dip in the hot sauce and I was pretty happy.
Even better than the steamed chicken dumplings were the deep fried pork dumplings! After a double round of dumplings, I proceeded on to order a bowl of soup filled with fish balls. Standing up, while resting my bowl of soup on a wobbly circular table, I thoroughly enjoyed my Chinese breakfast in the middle of always entertaining Kolkata.
Despite its unique ambience the only Chinese food market in India may soon sink into oblivion, along with the dwindling Chinese community in the city. Most senior hawkers are either dead or are too old and infirm to visit the market. And the young generation of 'Indian Chinese' is leaving India in hordes looking for greener pastures abroad.
The market was much more vibrant even a decade ago as witnessed by regulars. One could find areas like Bowbazar in central Kolkata and Tangra, in the city's eastern fringes, populated with the Chinese population. Tiretty bazaar, in fact, is the oldest Chinese hub, still called the Chinatown by many Kolkatans. The market can be considered a meeting place by the Chinese. "We gathere here not only to buy or sell, but also out of a fellow feeling for the community", a regular qoutes.
Lids removed from towering, multi-tiered steamers release fragrant steam into the air and reveal neat dim sum made with pork, fish, and chicken, and large rounds of steamed bread stuffed with pork and chicken. We snack on the excellent dumplings and packed the saucer-sized soft bun for the street. A baksawallah or patty man, is selling his wares from the ancient tin trunk traditionally used to hawk around those flaky pastry envelopes stuffed with curried vegetables or chicken. Other Anglo-Indian treats beckon: a tray of crumb-fried egg chops and golden pantharas—deep-fried, meat-filled pancakes.
Enterprising vendors are constantly tinkering with traditional products to adapt to changing tastes. On this visit, we discover chicken rolls/crepes stuffed with spring onion and chicken mince and rolled into long cigar shapes. Right next to the sealed packets of Chinese prawn wafers are freshly made “prawn wafers” and flat breads stuffed with shrimp. But not all the experiments are successful.
If you are a late riser then chances are that you may miss the delight as it starts at around 6am and by the time clock strikes 8 everything is finished.
Tiretta bazaar is in the Chhata Wallah Gully just beside Poddar court near Lal Bazaar police headquarters. This place is easily accessable from Howrah, Sealdah, esplanade Babughat bus stand etc.
The place is clean as compared to Tangra. The quality of food is also good. In China town there are some non-Chinese vendors also who sell these delicacies with equally good taste.
and yeah ... Do remember to take home some Prawn wafers/chips as a memorabilia.
