Repost: Made in China: Samosa and Paratha

Posted on January 22, 2008
Filed Under >Owais Mughal, Food
42 Comments
Total Views: 45158

Owais Mughal

ATP is always searching for tips on good Pakistani food (see here), and as I have a long history with food experiments myself (see here). So here is my new discovery.

On our last trip to buy oriental grocery we were surprised beyond words to find ‘Tsingtao Curry Samosa and ‘Paratha – which taste like authentic Indian’ in a refrigerator.

Both of these items were made in China. We immediately bought both items and I must confess they both tasted very good. Samosa filling was made of Chinese curry and Parathas were puff Parathas. You gotta taste them to believe me.

Today I couldn’t resist and took these photos of ‘made in China’ samosa box to share with all of you.

For those who are really interested in knowing the recipe’ of this Chinese samosa, here are the ingredients which I am faithfully copying from the box:

Cabbage, Wheat Flour, Water, Potato, Mushroom, Onion, Carrot, Vegetable Oil, Sugar, Salt, Soy Sauce and Curry powder.

I believe there is a big food export business going on between China and South Asia. On a trip to China in 2001, I met a businessman from Mumbai who was manufacturing ‘Chinese dumplings’ in India and exporting them to China.

Now after writing all this I must also state that – with all due respect to China or India – no one can beat the taste of Samosas sold in United Bakery, Karimabad Chowrangi Karachi.

As the poet says:

jo maza chajjoo de chobaaray
O na Balkh na Bukhaaray

The enjoyment that one gets on a native street corner
cannot be found in either Balkh or Bukhara

42 responses to “Repost: Made in China: Samosa and Paratha”

  1. Hamid Ch says:

    1) Best Samosas: Shiney’s in Annandale, Virginia
    2) Best Bun Samosas: Canteen @ FG Sir Syed College, Rawalpindi

  2. Owais Mughal says:

    RJH, Most of the Chinese grocery stores now carry Indian/Pakistani food items too especially ‘parathas’ which are also marketed as Chinese pancakes. We found made-in-China ‘samosa’s in the same section.

  3. RJH says:

    I too love to “experiment” new food.
    Pray tell us where did you purchase these Chinese made items?

  4. Have u tried one khokha behind Faisal bakery at Sharah e Faisal, those r urban legend too…:)

  5. Razi says:

    The best Samosas that I have had living in the US are from this place called Kabab & Curry in Edison, NJ. They taste similar to the delectable ones available at Bombay Sweet in Main Commercial Area PECHS, Karachi.

    Speaking of Chinese making Samosas and Parathas….a common site here in the US is Mexican and Latin American workers employed by Desi restaurants. Nothing unusual aroud here seeing a Mexican helping making Tandoor ki Roti :) or Halwa Puri at a Pakistani or Indian restaurant.

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