Veg Manchurian is a popular Indo-Chinese recipe that has a healthy mix of vegetables, deep fried and dunked into a Cantonese sauce. These vegetarian “meatballs” make a perfect accompaniment to white/brown rice making you regret all the times you had take-out when you could have created a great dish like this in your very own kitchen!
Ingredients
- For the Veggie Balls
- 1 cup grated carrot
- 2 cups grated cabbage
- 1/2 cup finely chopped bell pepper
- 1/2 cup finely chopped mushrooms (optional)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper powder
- Salt to season (use with restraint or the vegetables will become watery)
- 2 tbsp all purpose flour
- Oil for deep frying
- 1 tbsp rice flour (You can use corn flour too but rice flour makes them extra crispy)
- For the Cantonese sauce
- 1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
- 1/2 tbsp finely chopped ginger
- 1 tbsp finely chopped green chilies (optional, can be substituted with ½ tsp black pepper powder)
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp of corn starch dissolved in upto 2 tbsp water to make slurry
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- Upto 1 & 1/2 cup vegetable stock (or water)
- Salt to season
- 1 tbsp oil
- For garnish
- Chopped green onions
- Some sesame seeds
Directions
- 1Mix all the ingredients listed under the meatballs except for the flours.
- 2Set aside for about 5-7 minutes
- 3Meanwhile heat oil for deep frying. Mix in the flours into the vegetable mixture well to make cohesive ball. If required add more flour for binding.
- 4Make ping-pong sized balls of the veg mixture and drop them slowly into the hot oil. Do not crowd the pan. Fry in batches.
- 5Fry the veggie balls on medium high heat. This will ensure that the Manchurian balls are cooked through all the way inside.
- 6Once the balls turn a golden brown, drain them out onto some paper towels.
- 7In another deep pan, heat the oil meant for the sauce.
- 8Once hot, add in the chopped garlic, ginger and green chilies.
- 9Sauté for about 30 seconds before you can add in the salt, sugar and soy sauce.
- 10Add in the vegetable stock (or water).
- 11Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to a medium high.
- 12Add the corn starch slurry in a steady stream into the simmering liquid while stirring continuously.
- 13Add the corn starch in small quantities. As the sauce boils, it thickens further.
- 14Turn off the heat and set aside.
- 15Pour the sauce onto a serving plate. Now, dunk the veggie meatballs into the sauce.
- 16Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
