One of the most delicious fusion foods I have ever encountered is the Chinese food influenced by Indian chefs. Friends from India who have immigrated to Australia spoke regularly of Indian Chinese food. Unfortunately I had little experience with it until I traveled through South India in 2006. During this trip I found myself eating a lot of Indian Chinese food including stir fries and spring rolls. The most notable difference between Chinese and Indian Chinese is the use of cumin and coriander in the marinade / sauces.

Although I would be wary of presenting this dish as a specific example of Indian Chinese food (as I do not know its true heritage) it certainly represents a fusion of cooking methods and flavors.

Pepper Chicken

Take a whole chicken and cut it up into bite size pieces. Heat oil in a wok and add a few dried chillies, crushed fennel seeds and a couple of teaspoons of black mustard seeds, stir until fragrant. Add 2-3 diced onions stir until soft and slightly browned then add 2 ripe tomatoes (or 1.5 cups of dice tinned tomatoes) and stir until sauce forms and tomatoes are cooked. Add ample garlic, ginger, turmeric, cumin powder and coarsely ground black peppercorns. Continue frying until the chicken is cooked through and sauce reduced.

Garnish with a cucumber fan and a cherry tomato flower. Just because it looks cool. :)

For the full recipe see Pepper Chicken.