Vegetable manchurian

Vegetable Manchurian is a popular dish and is liked by every one and it is served as a starter in every restaurant in India. I have prepared vegetable balls with different sauce, according to my taste. It is spicy, sour but tastes good. It is semi gravy form, but if you want it to be drier or gravy type can prepare it.

To make vegetable balls, you can use any vegetables you like some add paneer also, but I have not added in this. If you want can use cooked soft rice to bind also. For me it was very difficult to make round balls, so I just try to make small balls whatever shape it is. You can add chopped green chillies, pepper powder, chilli oil, and sesame oil, can add anything according to your taste.

For sauce I have used green chillies and crushed chilli powder, if you want can use chilli paste also. It is up to you, how spicy the sauce should be. I sometimes add pine apple chunks also in my sauce to give that sour and sweat flavour.

Ingredients

Vegetable balls

Cabbage - 150gms
Carrot - 100gms
Capsicum - 1/2 (any colour)
Beans - 100gms
Green chilli - 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp
Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp
Ginger - 1tsp
Soya sauce - 1tsp
Sesame oil - 1/2tsp to 1tsp
Spring onion (green part) - 1
Corn flour - 4 to 5 tsp
Salt - as per taste

Sauce

Oil - 1 tbsp
Ginger - 1 1/2 tsp
Garlic - 2tsp
Spring onion (white part) - 2
Green chillies - 1 tsp
Crushed chilli powder - 2 tsp
Sugar - 1 tsp
Water - 1/4 cup (50ml)
Soya sauce - 1 tbsp
Tomato ketchup - 3 tbsp
Vinegar - 2 tsp
Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp
Water (again) - 1/4 cup
Cornstarch - water 1/4 cup + cornflour 1 tsp
Spring onion - 1 (chopped)

Method

First chop all the vegetables finely or can do it in a food processor. Can add capsicum and cauliflower also and change the quantity of vegetable which ever you like. If you want can shred it, but it has to be very fine.
Chop green chillies, ginger and garlic finely and keep it aside.
Chop spring onion and keep it aside.

Cooking vegetable balls

Now take all the vegetables like carrot, cabbage, beans and steam it, cook till it is cooked well. I have used steamer to steam it.
When the vegetables are cooked well squeeze it well so that there is no water inside, keep that vegetable water aside can be used in the sauce as vegetable stock.

Put all the vegetables in a plate and add ginger, spring onion, green chillies, sesame oil, soya sauce, pepper powder and corn flour and mix well.
When it is mixed well, make small balls by pressing it in your palm, that is put small ball size in your palm and press it tightly, so that it is attached well and keep it on a plate.

Little moisture should be there in the vegetables so that it binds well , if it is dry according to the binding can add few drops of vegetable stock(remaining water from the boiled vegetables).
If it is very difficult to bind them, add more corn flour or cooked rice 1/3rd cup or few tbsp, till it binds well.
Place it on a plate, can see in the picture.

Can deep fry it in oil directly or by just coating it with corn flour lightly and fry it.
Do not fry it on very high flame, while frying the balls, drop it carefully in the oil.
After frying all the balls in oil, keep it aside in a plate on tissue paper.

Be care full while handling the balls, as it is very delicate and can break easily.

Sauce

Preheat the vessel or a pan with oil, when it gets warm add spring onion, ginger , green chillies and garlic, stir it for few minutes 2 to 3 minutes.

When the onions become soft and transparent, add sugar and crushed chilli powder, mix well for 15sec, then add immediately all the sauces and water, mix well. Cook for few minutes till the water is absorbed, not dry and all the sauces is cooked well.

Now add water again and mix well, cook till it gives the saucy consistency.

Add pepper powder and spring onions mix well, cook till spring onions becomes soft and the sauce is well blended with other ingredients and cooked well.

Now add cornstarch and mix well, cook for 2 to 3 minutes till that rawness of corn flour is gone.
As soon as the cornstarch is added the colour of the sauce also changes.
At last when sauce is according to your consistencies add vegetable balls and mix well, can add few chopped spring onions also.

Or just pour the sauce in a bowl and place the vegetables balls on the sauce.
You can serve this dish with any fried rice or any noodles you like.

Notes

If you have any vegetable stock, which was squeezed from the boiled vegetables, can use for the sauce instead of plain water.
Can reduce chilli, according to your taste.
If you want your sauce to be dry avoid adding water second time and the cornstarch also, then it will become, dry type.
I some times add sesame oil in the sauce also at last, it gives a different taste.
Always whenever cooking, taste and see, if you require anything in the sauce.
If you think that your sauce is according to your consistency and can avoid cornstarch.
If you want can make a batter like with maida (plain flour) and corn flour with equal ratio, dip the balls and fry it in deep oil.
You can use ordinary onions also.