The Sauce Makers Of Calcutta (Cheenapara) (English Version)

Book Details

• Author: Dominic Lee

• Publisher: Wordphonics Publication

• Language: English

• ISBN: 9789349318632

About the Book
The Sauce Makers of Calcutta (Cheenapara) (English Version) by Dominic Lee is an extraordinary blend of history, food culture, memoir, and undocumented Chinatown heritage. Through vivid storytelling, the book captures the Chinese migration waves, the author’s earliest memories of Calcutta, and how he learned the craft of sauce-making while growing up in the family business.

A major portion of the book reveals how traditional Chinese medicine and apothecary culture sowed the seeds for the earliest forms of fermented sauces and chili pastes in Calcutta. Readers will discover the fascinating birth story of the legendary Green Dragon (Green Chili Sauce) and explore the Five Elements of Kolkata’s Chinese Sauces—earth, water, fire, metal, and wood—each tied to deep ancient Chinese philosophy and their Indian cultural parallels.

The book also uncovers forgotten stories of grandmothers, wives, and female workers who were the silent custodians of culinary wisdom in old Chinatown kitchens. Dominic Lee takes readers into the spiritual and mystical aspects of sauce making, from feng shui principles and yin-yang balance to ancestral rituals, superstitions, and prayers performed before starting fermentation batches.

A rich Flavour Map of Kolkata’s iconic Indo-Chinese dishes showcases how different sauces enhance different recipes. The author traces how sauces have evolved from pre-Partition kitchens to post-globalization shelves, questioning whether today’s market reflects a revival of tradition or a shift toward mass-produced taste profiles.

The book documents the legacy of Pou Chong, the evolution of ingredients over decades, and the journey “From Canton to Kolkata”—including the rise of Tiretta Bazaar, the Golden Era of Indo-Chinese cuisine (1980s–1990s), and how brands like Pou Chong introduced premium KIM lines while preserving authentic techniques.

Exploring themes of identity, migration, adaptation, and culinary heritage, Dominic Lee reflects on whether he should uphold strict authenticity or innovate with new-age sauces appearing in the market. The narrative concludes with the vibrant world of Chinese New Year celebrations in Chinatown, celebrating food as a living cultural archive.