Chef’S,Nectar, “ Mixed Vegetable Manchurian”

One of the most popular cuisine of fast food joint is known as Indo-Chinese food has a long history in India, and one of its most delicious chapters is doubtlessly the manchurian.

This dish of vegetable dumplings in a glossy, rich-brown sauce with bold notes of tangy, sweet, spicy and salty is impossible to resist and I can honestly say I’ve never met a man, woman or child who could walk away from a plateful. In fact, if you ask an Indian what his or her favorite Indo-Chinese dish is, chances are, it would be a Veg Manchurian. One of the most popular Chinese dish is vegetable Manchurian.

Ingredients for making the Vegetable Manchurian

For the manchurian balls

• 1/2 head cabbage
• 2 medium carrots
• 1 medium onions
• 1 medium green bell peppers
• 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 2-3 green chili peppers
• 2 tbsp Sweet corn cream
• 2 tbsp Corn Kernels
• 30 gms cottage cheese
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 cup refined flour (use rice flour if gluten-free)
• 1/4 cup corn starch (or tapioca starch)
• Vegetable oil (for frying)

For the manchurian sauce

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 12 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
• 2 green chili peppers (like serrano, minced)
• 1 small green bell pepper (cut into large, 3/4th inch cubes)
• 1 small onion (cut into large, 3/4th inch cubes and petals separated)
• 2 tbsp tomato ketchup
• 1-2 tbsp hot chilli sauce (use more or less based on your preference)
• 2-4 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
• 3-4 tbsp maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp powdered ginger
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• Salt to taste
• 4 tbsp corn starch (tapioca starch works as well)
• 2 scallions (finely chopped)

Method of making vegetable Manchurian

Make 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.
• 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 3/4th-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 tbsp 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. Turn off heat and season with scallions before serving.
• Serve hot garnish with chopp coriander along with vegetable fried rice