vegetable manchurian

I have had Manchurian at several places, and till I first made it at home, I always thought it is a special dish which cannot be made easily at home. But after trying it for the first time, I found to my surprise, that its not only a quick dish, but also not difficult at all.

ingredients
cabbage, grated
carrots, grated
spring onions, chopped
green chilies, finely chopped
fresh garlic, chopped
corn flour
dark soy sauce
ajinomoto (optional)
salt, pepper
sugar
oil

garnish
spring onions

recipe
Take the grated cabbage and carrots and mix in a bowl. If they have extra water, squeeze out. Add 3 spoonfuls of corn flour and mix well. Make small balls from these. If the corn flour seems less for binding, put a bit more. Use only enough corn flour as is needed for binding. The idea is not to soak the grated mixture in a heap of corn flour which makes the dish very heavy and thick to the bite.

Now heat oil in a deep pan. Do not put oil as is usually put for deep frying. We only need to fry the manchurian balls so that the corn flour is cooked. No need to soak them in oil. Put an inch of oil, bring to a heat. Now put the manchurian balls in oil and let one side cook. After a while, turn the sides and leave for cooking again. As the corn flour cooks, the balls will turn brown. Take them out after squeezing extra oil. Place on a kitchen paper towel.

Take a saucepan and add 2 teaspoonfuls of oil. Heat it and then add the freshly chopped garlic, green chilies and spring onions. Toss them for 1 minute, then add water. Water should be added according to the total quantity of gravy required in the dish. Now add salt, pepper to taste. Add a pinch of ajinomoto and half a teaspoon of sugar. Add 2 teaspoons of dark soy sauce and bring to a boil.

In a small bowl, mix a teaspoon of corn flour in cold water and add to the manchurian gravy. The gravy will thicken. Repeat this process till you achieve the gravy in a consistency you desire. Now add the fried manchurian balls in the gravy. Let it mix for 1 minute.

Serve hot with a garnish of spring onions.

note
mix the manchurian balls in the gravy just before you’re ready to eat. If you still have other dishes to cook, then do not mix the manchurian balls in the gravy as they turn too soggy.