Vegetable Manchurian

Ingredients

for the veg manchurian balls:

• 1 cup grated carrot
• 1 cup finely chopped cabbage
• ½ cup finely chopped bell pepper
• ¼ cup finely chopped spring onion/scallion greens
• ½ tsp freshly crushed black pepper or black pepper powder or white pepper powder
• 2 tbsp all purpose flour/maida
• 2 tbsp cornflour
• salt to taste

For the sauce:

• 2 tbsp onion or spring onion/scallion whites chopped
• 1 tbsp finely chopped celery (optional)
• 1 tbsp ginger
• 1 tbsp garlic
• 1 or 2 green chilies
• 1 tbsp corn flour dissolved in 2 tbsp water
• ½ tbsp soya sauce
• ½ tbsp vinegar – i used balsamic vinegar
• 1 or 1.5 cup water or vegetable stock
• ½ tsp freshly crushed black pepper or black pepper powder or white pepper powder
• salt to taste
• sugar to taste
• some chopped spring onion/scallion greens for garnishing

Instructions

preparing the veg manchurian balls:

1. mix all the ingredients listed under veg balls.
2. keep aside for 15-20 minutes.
3. shape into small round balls and shallow fry or deep fry till golden browned on a moderately hot oil.
4. drain on kitchen tissues and keep aside.

Preparing the sauce:

1. heat oil.
2. fry the onions, ginger, garlic, chilies, celery on a high flame.
3. there is no need to brown them.
4. add water or veg stock.
5. add soy sauce, crushed black pepper,
6. mix well and add let the sauce simmer for 1-2 minutes.
7. add the cornflour paste to thicken the sauce.
8. thicken the sauce to your desired consistency.
9. add vinegar, salt, sugar and the fried veg balls.
10. stir and simmer for a minute.
11. serve veg manchurian garnished with spring onion greens.

Notes

the best part of any chinese dish is you can change the consistency as per your liking. if you want a thin consistency, add some veg broth or water. if you want a thick consistency, add a few teaspoons of corn flour paste. this dish thickens after it cools down. so when reheating you may have to add some water. i have not added any msg to the recipe. if you want a more restaurant style effect, you can do so. but a word of caution. msg or mono sodium glutamate is not good for the health. remember to fry the veg balls on medium heat. if they are fried on a high heat, then the outside will get cooked and the inside will be not cooked leaving a doughy taste in the mouth. if they are fried on a low heat, they will absorb oil and this will make them oily and soggy. i like the sweet sour taste of indo chinese food and hence i have added sugar to the recipe. also as the soy sauce i use does not have any sugar added to it. you may avoid this or check the ingredients list in your soy sauce if sugar is there in it or not. you can also add tomato sauce for some tang and sweetness.

lets begin step by step veg manchurian recipe:

1: first the tricky step of making the veg balls take all the ingredients for the veg balls in a plate or a bowl.

 











 2: mix them well and keep aside for 15-20 minutes. during this time the veggies will release their juices which will be of help in making the balls. you don’t need to any water. i have not added a single drop of water to this mixture.

 3: shape the mixture in to small balls and keep aside.

4: now comes the test… heat oil and just add one veg ball to the oil. if it breaks than not a good day today… okies the veg ball did not break for me… thank god

 

5: this boosts my confidence and i add three more balls now to the oil….

6: fry them neatly in a moderately hot oil till they are golden brown in color and crisp.

7: drain or kitchen paper tissues and keep aside.

8: now we prepare the sauce…. heat oil in a wok and add the spring onions, ginger, garlic, celery and chilies.

9: fry these on medium or full flame taking care not to burn them.

10: add vegetable stock or water now.

11: add the crushed black pepper and soy sauce. i have poor lighting in my kitchen. hence the pics always come out dark and dull.

12: mix well and the let the sauce cook for 1-2 minutes.

13: now add the corn flour paste slowly.

14: really stir well and make sure no lumps are formed. the sauce will begin to thicken now.

15: add vinegar, salt, sugar and the veg balls to the sauce and gently stir. simmer for a minute.

16: serve veg manchurian hot garnished with some scallion greens. veg manchurian goes well with veg fried rice, plain rice and even bread or the indian chapati.