Most of us love the ‘Indianized’ Chinese fare served in restaurants and hand-carts. A typical Chinese meal in India comprises of oily noodles doused with soy sauce; dumplings disguised in thick brown gravy and served as Chicken or vegetable Manchurian; and, chicken spiked with an assortment of spices. Most of the other dishes on the menu are cooked with Indian spices and resemble the Indian Chinese curry.

The cuisine is believed to have originated with the Chinese in Calcutta, a community that emigrated from China starting in the late 1700s. They moved to India in search of economic freedom and in the beginning they worked on the docks and in tanneries. Later, as businesses and restaurants were established, Chinese cooking was adapted to suit the spicy tastes of the Indian sub continent. Most of these immigrants were Cantonese and Hakka. Chinatown in India still boasts a number of Chinese restaurants specializing in Hakka cuisine and Indian Chinese variants.

With its robust flavors and spices, Indian-Chinese cuisine is very different from authentic Chinese food. This fare is flavoured with spices such as cumin, coriander and turmeric and cooked with hot chilli, ginger, garlic and yoghurt – spices and ingredients that are traditionally not associated with genuine Chinese cuisine.

Non-staple dishes are by default served with generous helpings of gravy, although they can also be ordered "dry" or "without gravy". Culinary styles often seen in Indian Chinese fare include chilli (implying hot and batter-fried), Manchurian (implying a sweet and salty brown sauce), and Szechwan (Sichuan, implying a spicy red sauce).

Scallions and soy sauce are used in plenty to add a "Chinese touch" to the food. Beef and pork, taboo to Hindus and Muslims respectively, are rarely served. As a result, non-vegetarian dishes are left with chicken, mutton, fish and prawns, of which chicken is the most widely available option. Also, primary ingredients not often seen in authentic Chinese cuisine, such as paneer, cauliflower, and potato, are used in Indian Chinese cooking, mainly to cater to the proportionately large population of vegetarians in India.

A typical Indo-Chinese meal consists of:
Appetizers: Soups like Manchow soup and sweet corn soup, again available in vegetarian and non-vegetarian form, as well as, starters such as chicken lollipops, spring rolls and wontons.

Rice and noodles: Staple base options for an Indian Chinese meal include chicken, shrimp or vegetable variants of Hakka or Szechwan/Sichuan noodles popularly referred to as chow mein; and regular or Szechwan/Sichuan fried rice. American chop suey and sweet and sour dishes can be found at many restaurants. Some South Indian restaurants have also come up with spring roll and Szechwan dosas.

Main course entrees include:

• Chilli -Chicken/Prawn/Fish/Mutton/Beef/Vegetables/Paneer 
• Garlic Chicken/Prawn/Fish/Mutton/Vegetables/Paneer
• Szechwan Chicken/Prawn/Fish/Mutton/Vegetables/Paneer
• Ginger Chicken/Prawn/Fish/Mutton/Vegetables/Paneer
• Manchurian Chicken/Prawn/Fish/Mutton/Vegetables/Paneer
• Hong Kong Chicken
• Lemon Chicken/Prawn/Fish
• Hunan Chicken
• Sweet and Sour Chicken

Desserts:
Indian Chinese dessert options include ice cream on honey-fried noodles or date pancakes.