Vegetarian Manchurian is a popular Indo-Chinese dish and is an excellent starter snack or served as a side dish with hakka noodles or fried rice. Its made of fried veggie balls soaked in a spicy, sweet and tangy sauce. It can be served as a dry appetizer or in a gravy version! This manchurian recipe is a tried and tested recipe full of yummy flavors and served with plain steamed rice.
Prep Time : 40 mins
Cook Time : 20 mins
Total Time : 1 hr approx
Ingredients
For the Manchurian Balls
1 1/2 Cup Shredded Green Cabbage
1/2 Cup Shredded or Grated Carrot
1/4 cup Green Beans finely chopped
1/4 Cup Green Onions finely chopped
1 Tablespoon Ginger-Garlic Paste
2 Tablespoon Cornstarch
2 Tablespoons All purpose Flour
1 1/2 Teaspoon Salt, or to taste
1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
1 Teaspoon Paprika for color
Oil for Frying
For the Gravy
2 Tablespoon cooking Oil
1/2 Cup red or white Onion, finely chopped
1/2 Cup Spring Onion, whites finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped Capsicum
2 Tablespoons Garlic minced
1 Teaspoon Ginger grated
1-2 Green Chillies, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon Dark Soy Sauce
1 Tablespoon Cooking Vinegar
1 1/2 Teaspoon Red Chilli Sauce
1 Tablespoon Tomato Ketchup
1/2 Teaspoon Salt, or to taste
1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
Chopped Greens of Spring onions
Chopped Cilantro 1 Tablespoon Toasted Sesame Oil
1 1/2 cup water
Method:
Preparing the Manchurian balls
1. Grate the cabbage and carrots, finely chop the onion and spring onions whites, combine them together in a bowl and squeeze out all the water from the vegetables.
2.To the vegetables add ginger and garlic paste, salt, pepper, paprika along with the corn starch and flour and mix everything well. If you feel the mixture is watery add extra corn starch or flour.
3. Take a small portion of the mixture in your palm and roll it in your palm to make a round veggie ball. Make all veggie balls and keep aside on a plate.
4. In a wok heat oil for deep frying and add a small piece of veggie mixture to check if the oil is ready for frying, if the mixture does not stick or sit down on the bottom of the wok but comes up the oil is ready for frying. If in case the balls break, or loosens up add some more flour or corn starch for the balls to hold their shape.
5. Gently put the balls in the hot oil and fry till fully cooked about 3 to 4 minutes on medium heat till the outside is crisp and golden brown, turning them over a few times. Remove them with a slotted spoon on a paper towel.
To make the Sauce
In a small bowl mix all the sauces – soy sauce, tomato ketchup, red chilly sauce and spices and keep aside.
In another small bowl take 1 tablespoon corn starch and add 2 tablespoons of water and stir it well and keep aside.
To make the Gravy
Heat a wok and pour 1 to 2 tablespoons oil. Add the chopped onions, finely chopped ginger, and garlic, green chilies and ¼ cup finely chopped capsicum and lightly cook them till semi soft. Add the sauce mixture and stir well, add the water and bring it to a boil, now add the corn starch mixture and cook it to remove any raw cornstarch taste. Cook till the manchurian sauce thickens and you see a shinny glaze in it. Lastly add the vinegar and toasted sesame oil.
Assembly:
To the gravy add the fried vegetable balls and coat the fried vegetable balls in the gravy. Sprinkle the chopped greens. If the chopped onions along with cilantro. Serve it hot with steamed rice.
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