Chicken Manchurian Isn’t Chinese — It’s Indian, With A Surprising Cricket Twist

Last Updated:August 05, 2025, 13:11 IST

Chicken Manchurian didn’t come from China, it was born in a Mumbai cricket club kitchen by an Indian chef. A spicy Indo-Chinese fusion, now loved around the world

You might think the dish called Chicken Manchurian came from China, as the name seems obvious. But the truth is far more surprising, and it all begins in India, with a cricket club.

Born In Mumbai, Not Manchuria

Despite its exotic name, Manchurian didn’t originate in China or even in the Manchurian region in Northeast Asia. It was created in 1975 in Mumbai by Nelson Wang, a Chinese-Indian chef born in Kolkata, West Bengal.

He had relocated to Mumbai and was working at the Cricket Club of India when a demand for something novel led to its creation. This is where Indo‑Chinese cuisine truly began.

The Man Behind The Manchurian

Faced with an eager crowd, Nelson Wang combined Indian kitchen staples, garlic, ginger and green chillies, with Chinese sauces like soy sauce and cornflour coating. He deep‑fried small pieces of boneless chicken in this spicy mix, creating an umami-rich dish that paired well with Indian taste preferences. The result? A brand-new fusion dish, Chicken Manchurian, that felt both familiar and exotic.

Kolkata’s Chinatown And Early Chinese In India

Nelson Wang’s family roots lay in Kolkata’s Chinatown, once home to over 20,000 Chinese-Indians. Their ancestors arrived in the late 1700s with a sailor named Achi from Guangdong province. He set up a sugarcane plantation near Calcutta, leading to the settlement of many Chinese workers in what became the Tangra neighbourhood.

This vibrant Chinese-Indian community ran tanneries, dental clinics, and restaurants, until the 1962 India–China war triggered anti-Chinese sentiment. Many left or were deported, and today only about 4,000 remain, yet the culinary legacy remains vibrant.

China Garden And Spread Of Indo-Chinese Cuisine

Nelson Wang later founded the iconic China Garden in Mumbai, introducing a new culinary style that mixed Chinese ingredients with Indian cooking techniques. It played a pivotal role in popularising Indo-Chinese dishes like Gobi Manchurian and Paneer Manchurian.

His son, Eddie Wang, later expanded the chain to cities including Goa, Delhi, Bangalore, Pune, Hyderabad, and Kathmandu, spreading this East-meets-West cuisine to a global audience.

From Mumbai To The World — But Not China

Chicken Manchurian is now a staple in Indian restaurants worldwide, from the UK and Canada to Australia and the Middle East. Yet in China, it remains largely unheard of, its bold, spicy flavours contrasting with the more muted tastes favoured in traditional Chinese cuisine.

Still, in the Chinese cities like Shanghai and Beijing, you’ll find Manchurian — in Indian restaurants, of course.

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