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A face that gets called “not Indian”, a childhood rooted in Kolkata, and a culture that can vanish without anyone announcing it. I’m joined by Joanna, better known as Hakka Girl, to talk about what it means to be Chinese-Indian and to grow up with one foot in Tangra and the other in the wider world that keeps trying to simplify you.

We dig into identity and belonging in a way that goes beyond food content. Joanna explains how Hakka language, traditions, and community memory are fading as families move and younger generations stop speaking. She shares why she started recording stories online, and why social media can act like a modern oral history, especially while she is also navigating the emotional reality of being a caregiver for her mum.

We also face the parts people avoid: racism, sexism, and the history of the 1962 Deoli internment camp in Rajasthan, where Chinese-Indians were detained because of fear and prejudice. From there we return to Indian Chinese food, tracing how classics like Manchurian chicken took shape, and why Tangra chilli chicken tastes different at home, right down to technique and that unmistakable aroma.

If you care about diaspora stories, Kolkata Chinatown, Hakka culture, and the real roots of Indian Chinese cuisine, this conversation will stay with you. Subscribe, share the episode with someone who loves food and history, and leave us a review with the story you think deserves to be preserved.

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Brewed slowly. served warmly. crafted with care