0 months ago
Why prawn crackers still rule Kolkata's Chinese restaurants and bars
Prawn crackers are a crunchy, yummy snack that many people in Kolkata love to eat.
They look like crispy little chips and puff up instantly when dropped into hot oil.
Even though they are served in Chinese restaurants, they were first made in Southeast Asia and southern China.
Long ago, Chinese settlers who moved to Kolkata brought the recipe with them.
People there changed it to use local ingredients like Bengal prawns and fish.
A shop called Pou Chong has been making these crackers by hand for a very long time, even before India became independent.
The crackers are made by mixing prawn paste with tapioca starch and drying it in the sun.
Many people eat them while waiting for their food or while having a drink.
Some enjoy them plain, while others like them with green or sweet chilli sauce.
A bag of these crackers costs about 100 to 150 rupees.
Prawn crackers remain one of the most loved snacks at Kolkata's old Chinese restaurants and bars, often ordered before starters even arrive.
Despite being associated with Chinese restaurants, the crackers originated in Southeast Asia and southern China and were brought to Kolkata by Cantonese and Hakka settlers.
Pou Chong, run by third-generation owner Janice Lee, has made handmade crackers using Bengal prawns, Indian mackerel and tapioca starch since before India's Independence.
Trincas, another third-generation family business, deliberately seeks crackers with a deep, 'prawn-y' flavour for its customers.
Dried ready-to-fry chips cost roughly Rs 100 to 150 for a 200g pack at stores such as Pou Hing and Pou Chong in Tiretti Bazaar and Tangra.
- Who
- Kolkatans, old Chinese restaurants and bars such as Trincas, and Pou Chong owner Janice Lee
- What
- Handmade prawn crackers remain a hugely popular snack in Kolkata's old Chinese restaurants and bars, with roots in Southeast Asian and southern Chinese food traditions
- Where
- Kolkata, especially the historic Chinese neighbourhoods of Tiretti Bazaar and Tangra
- When
- Since before India's Independence, with the tradition continuing today
- Why
- The crackers are considered addictively tasty comfort food whose crunchy, savoury, shrimp-rich flavour pairs well with drinks like beer
Key facts
- Snack
- Prawn crackers (prawn/fish chips)
- Origin
- Southeast Asia and southern China; brought to Kolkata by Cantonese and Hakka settlers
- Key ingredients
- Prawn paste and tapioca starch, with Bengal prawns and Indian mackerel in handmade versions
- Cooking method
- Sun-dried chips puff up almost instantly when fried in hot refined oil
- Noted maker
- Pou Chong, making handmade crackers since before Independence
- Price
- Rs 100 to 150 for a 200g pack
- Where to buy
- Pou Hing, Pou Chong and other authentic Chinese product stores in Tiretti Bazaar and Tangra
- Common pairings
- Draught beer, fresh lime soda, green or sweet chilli sauce
Quotes
Janice Lee
Third‑generation owner of Pou Chong KIM
““Bengal prawns and fish such as Indian mackerel found their way into handmade versions of the crackers. Made with tapioca starch, the crackers could be dried and stored, then quickly puffed up in hot oil when needed.””
telegraphindia.com
““The number one reason this snack remains so popular is that they are addictively tasty! Besides, they are comfort food for many of us who have grown up with these flavours.””
telegraphindia.com
Arunava Majumdar
Food vlogger who documents old‑Calcutta bars
““The natural glutamates in shrimp paste and starches create a savoury crunch that pairs amazingly well with alcohol.””
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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