Veg Manchurian Recipe Result of Chinese restaurants in India, Veg Manchurian is the one thing all Indians must have enjoyed as international cuisine. These are wisps of vegetables formed into dumplings. It is made by roughly chopping and deep-frying ingredients such as cauliflower (gobi) and paneer, deep frying it and then sautéeing in a sauce flavoured with soy sauce. Manchurian is the result of the adaptation of Chinese cooking and seasoning techniques to suit Indian tastes. It has become a staple of Indian Chinese cuisine. A gorgeous interplay of hot, sweet, sour and salty flavours, this delight is one of the most popular Indian starters. It can be either made as a dry or crispy version or with gravy. Made with generous amount of garlic and ginger, flavored with soy sauce and vinegar, the wet Vegetable Manchurian (with gravy) complements Roti’s and is best when drizzled on a serving of steaming hot rice, fried rice or noodles
It is imperative to prepare all the ingredients beforehand. This is because most Chinese cuisine is cooked at very hot temperatures and if you are not quick you will end up burning the dish. Also as it is considered to be time consuming, by preparing well it will not feel as much laborious. One can mix and match veggies for the manchurian, but don't use vegetables that can get too watery, like zucchini. Cabbage is usually the leading vegetable in the manchurian balls, with carrots, green beans, bell peppers and even cauliflower added to the mix.
For the sauce, you need a mix of sauces that may make no sense at first but will make all the sense when it all comes together. There's tamari (or soy sauce is fine), ketchup, chili sauce, rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar) and maple syrup, all adding layers of flavor and complexity. The maple syrup might not be a traditional ingredient, but I like the sweetness it adds to balance the flavors, and it makes the dish really, really kid-friendly.
Veg Manchurian Recipe Ingredients List
- 1/4 head cabbage
- 1 medium carrot
-
1/2 medium onion
1 medium green bell pepper - 2 tablespoon o ginger garlic paste
- 2 green chili peppers (like serrano. Finely minced. Use more or less based on your heat preference. Deseed for less heat)
- Salt to taste
- ½ cup unbleached all purpose flour (use rice flour if gluten-free)
-
¼ cup corn starch (or tapioca starch)
Vegetable oil
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For the Manchurian Sauce:
- ½ tablespoon vegetable oil
- 6 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
- 1 green chili peppers (like serrano, minced)
- ½ small green bell pepper (cut into large, ¾th inch cubes)
- ½ small onion (cut into large, ¾th inch cubes and petals separated)
- 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup
- 1 tablespoon hot chili sauce (use more or less based on your preference)
- 2 tablespoon tamari (or soy sauce)
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)/ Lime juice
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup/ honey
- ¼ teaspoon powdered ginger
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- Salt to taste for veg manchurian
- 4 tablespoon corn starch (tapioca starch works as well)
- 2 scallions/ spring onions (finely chopped)
Time to relish a power pack of nutrients.
Making the Manchurian Balls:
- Heat oil for frying in a wok or fryer.
- Grate all of the veggies, including the onion, with a grater or better, in a food processor or a grinder.
- Place the veggies and the rest of the ingredients in the bowl and mix until a ball formed with the veggies holds together. You don't want the balls to be doughy, but if absolutely necessary, add a little more flour if needed to bind.
- Shape the mixture into ¾-inch balls (you should get about 32) and flatten each slightly before adding to the hot oil. You can fry several at a time but don't overcrowd the pan.
- Turn the manchurian balls over as needed so they are golden-brown on both sides. Remove them to a dish lined with paper towels and set aside.
Make the Manchurian Sauce:
- To make the sauce, place the wok on high heat and when it is very hot, pour the oil in along the sides of the pan.
- Add the garlic and stir-fry for just 10 seconds or so, then immediately add in the bell peppers and onion. Saute just a minute, then add the sauces one by one in the center of the wok--the ketchup, tamari, chili sauce, vinegar, maple syrup and powdered ginger. Mix together quickly and then add four cups of water to the wok. Bring to a boil and taste the sauce. If needed, add salt.
- Mix the cornstarch with 4 tablespoon water and add a little at a time until the sauce thickens. You don't have to use all of it--stop when the sauce is thick enough for your liking. Cook the sauce until it comes to a boil and becomes glossy, 2-4 minutes. Add the manchurian balls. Turn off heat and season with scallions before serving.
Serve with fried rice/ Roti or as a starter for your hearty meal.