বাংলায় পড়ুন
Take the example of Steven Lee. He was born and brought up in Tangra. Later he worked hard while training as a chef and now he is not only one of the names to be reckoned with in terms of Indo-Asian fusion Chinese food but he also owns one of the most prestigious restaurants in UK – Hakkaland. “I have had a training of over 20 years and in just about a year of opening the restaurant, it won the first prize for UK’s best Indo Asian Fusion Food at British Chinese Food Awards in December 2017,” he said. Taking a break from his busy business he is visiting Kolkata for 10 days beginning February 16. “I can’t forget my roots here. My childhood friends live here and they don’t treat me any differently and vice versa. If I didn’t come during this time they would have said, ‘paisa bana liya toh dost logo ko bhul gaya’ (he has made money and forgotten friends),” Lee said. Tangra was abuzz with activities from prayers, fireworks to dragon dance and reunion.
Again there were people like Amy Liao and Jenny Lily Liu who could not come over owing to lack of time but they ensured that there was nothing lacking in terms of celebration. Amy, born in Kolkata, moved to Canada and now owns a restaurant called Faley Restaurant at Rexdale in Ontario. “I would have loved to go to Kolkata but can’t leave business at the moment. Nevertheless, all Chinese living in this part of the world, we unite for a day or two and celebrate New Year like we would have done in Tangra,” she said over the phone.
Jenny said that they have formed an association called Toronto Hakka Chinese Community Network (THCCN). “We had put up a day-long programme, taking the dragon dancers from one business house to another and at the end it culminated with a gala dinner. We felt like we have brought a piece of Tangra to Canada,” she said.
“In terms of food, our practices are very similar to what we used to do in Kolkata. Preparation starts about a week ahead of the New Year. Families will make treats, Chinese Cookies (in Chinese we say ‘Ma Fah’), Chinese Chips (various flavour – shrimp, fish and potato), Sesame Seed Balls, etc. The Chinese Chips that we fry here, we usually import for Kolkata,” Robert Yap, one of the organizers stated over mail.
