This Christmas, Trincas is bringing to your platter a fiery chicken dish that has travelled across borders and endured decades of hardship.
The Park Street landmark, which has shaped Kolkata’s dining and music culture for nearly a century, is set to celebrate its 98th Christmas this year with a treasure trove of flavours wrapped in memory of a time in Rangoon.
Started by Swiss baker Mr Trinca, Trincas later found Puri and Joshua families as its custodian. The Joshua family travelled all the way from Rangoon to Calcutta — and they brought with them an age-old recipe that has now made a comeback.
A Christmas special rooted in resilience
‘’The story of our first Christmas Special this year goes back to the 1940s’’ — Anand Puri
Third-generation owner Anand Puri says the choice to revive the chicken curry special comes from a desire to honour his family’s journey. “Urban legends and legacy make up the fabulous lore that follows this brand whenever it is brought up in conversation. So it is only apt that we tell you a story through our Christmas specials this year,” he said.
The story begins in the 1940s, when Ellis Joshua lived in Rangoon with his parents and seven siblings. As political turmoil swept the region, thousands of families were forced to leave everything behind and begin a long and difficult journey towards safety. Ellis and his family walked for months through dense forests, eventually reaching Calcutta with very little to call their own.
Chimmoo Aunty’s Chicken Curry
Food was scarce, but a relative affectionately known as Aunty Chimmoo, found a way to create comfort from almost nothing. “She knew her family loved chillies, and from the market,
she bought the cheap off-cuts of chicken. Using only garlic and chillies, she produced a fiery chicken curry. The curry was so hot that one needed a huge serving of steamed rice to eat it with. And so, on very little, a large family was kept deliciously full,” Anand narrated.
Over the years, this simple preparation travelled with the family, appeared at dinner gatherings, crossed continents and eventually made its way into Trincas’ menu. “With winter on Calcutta’s door, and the need for a little spice in life, Chimmoo Aunty’s Chicken Curry makes a comeback. We’re using better cuts of chicken, but we are not dumbing this original recipe down. Caution is advised. This addictive dish will keep you warm for a very long time,” Anand said.
A cocktail that tastes like Christmas
Christmas Cake cocktail with rum
To pair with the hot chicken curry, Trincas has introduced a cocktail called Christmas Cake. “It tastes exactly like it sounds,” Anand says. With spiced rum and warm, familiar flavours, it is a playful tribute to the festive bakes that once filled old Calcutta homes.
“Our specials this Christmas are an ode to Calcutta’s storied past and to Trincas’ contribution to the culinary landscape, very much like our entire menu,” summed Anand.