The concept of Oodles celebrates a long-standing marriage of two cultures between Chinese migrants who emigrated to India around 250 years ago in search of prospects and a better life.
The Chinese settlers soon found that the unique flavours of their land had huge potential in India. They made small tweaks to suit the tastes of their Indian customers and the people of India embraced the Chinese dishes.
The beauty of the two cultures came together with the art of food. This proves that food is not just to satisfy one’s hunger or cravings, but is a language of love in and of itself.
Silk Road Cultural Exchange
The Silk Road was a network of trading posts and corridors established from 130 BCE to 1453 CE. This was a route marked out via land and sea, spanning across the Far East; China and the Indonesian islands, through South Asia; India and the Middle East, all the way to north-eastern Africa and Italy. The exchange of goods, diseases, and innovations from the East to the West and vice versa has had a lasting impact on human history.
Chinese and Indian merchants would bring their goods across the borders including; silks, rice, and crockery that came from China, with a surplus of prominent spices emerging from India. Another exchange between China and India was food, culture & practices. Just as the Chinese adapted Buddhist practices to their own beliefs, the two cultures adopted certain aspects of the other throughout their historical interactions and exchanges.
The impact of this route on the history of food and culinary heritage is indisputable. Rice dishes cooked in “Indianised” Chinese woks can be found in the nation’s south, and there are spices of ginger, cinnamon, and black pepper present in various Chinese culinary styles; in this way, it can be seen how the Silk Road was vital in bringing characteristics of the two cultures together.
What dishes sit at the heart of Indo-Chinese cuisine?
Core base options for an Indo-Chinese meal include chicken, prawns or vegetable variants of Udon or Schezuan noodles; and egg-fried rice. Sweet and sour dishes can be found at many Indo-Chinese restaurants too. All of these authentic dishes can be found at any of our Oodles stores.
About Oodles- ‘All about the ‘O’: Love Oodles, Love Chinese
Oodles is a family business which was initially established in Leicester, and spearheaded by Mohammed and Ismail; two brothers who spotted a gap in the market in 2010, which was the lack of freshly cooked Indo-Chinese food.
With a focal point on open live kitchens and a relaxed atmosphere, the Oodles brand today has become synonymous with providing freshly cooked Indo-Chinese food across the country.
Oodles have gone from strength to strength and have now reached 35 branches across the UK, including; London, Birmingham, Manchester, and many more cities with a demand for Indo-Chinese food.
The Oodles brand is a much sought-after franchise that’s evolving and growing at a rapid rate. Oodles will continue to see growth and expansion throughout 2022 with a further 14 branches planned as part of the brand expansion.
Visit your nearest Oodles branch to try authentic Indo-Chinese cuisine, and support the fusion of two beautiful cultures, coming together.
