Vegetable Manchurian

Ingredients (Serves 3 – 4)

To make the veggie balls

1. Cabbage – 3/4 cup, grated or finely chopped

    Carrot – 2 small, grated or finely chopped

    Bell pepper – 1/2 cup, finely chopped

    Green beans – 5, finely chopped

    Onion – 1/4 cup, finely chopped

    Celery – 1/4 cup, finely chopped

    Spring onion – 2 tbsp, finely chopped

2. Green chilly – 1, cut into thin rounds

    Ginger – 1 tsp, finely chopped

    Garlic – 1 tsp, finely chopped

    Pepper powder – 1/2 tsp

    Cooked rice – 1/4 – 1/2 cup, mashed

    Corn flour – 1.5 tbsp

    Maida / all purpose flour  – 2 tbsp or as required

    Salt – To taste

For the sauce

3. Onion – 1/4 cup, cut into small cubes

    Ginger – 2 tsp, finely chopped

    Garlic – 1 tbsp, finely chopped

    Green chilly – 1, finely chopped

4. Pepper powder – 1/4 tsp (Optional)

5. Spring onion – 1 tbsp + 1 tbsp to garnish

6. Sugar – 1/4 – 1/2 tsp

    Soy sauce – 2 – 3 tbsp

    Chilly sauce – 1 – 1.5 tbsp

   Sweet and sour sauce – 1 tbsp (I didn’t use this sauce. Do not add sugar if you are using it)

7. Corn flour – 1 tbsp dissolved in 1/2 cup water ( I used ARGO corn starch)

8. Vegetable oil – To deep fry

9. Sesame oil – 1 tbsp

10. Salt – To taste

Method

1. Grate or finely chop the veggies numbered 1 in a food processor. Transfer them into a pan. Add 1/4 cup water and cook until the veggies are half-cooked, about 8 – 10 minutes at medium heat. Squeeze out the moisture from the veggies and strain it. You will get about 1.5 cups of vegetable stock. Set aside.

2. To the squeezed veggies, add ingredients numbered 2. Mix well and shape into small balls. If they do not hold shape, add more cooked mashed rice/ all purpose flour. Deep fry the veggie balls in 2-3 batches until golden brown turning to the other side in between (do not turn them immediately after adding to the hot oil as they might break). Drain on to a paper towel. This makes about 15 small balls.

3.  Heat 1 tbsp sesame oil (or you can use the oil that you used to fry the veggie balls) in a pan at medium heat. Add chopped ginger, garlic, onion and green chillies. When the onion turns transparent add pepper powder, soy sauce, chilly sauce, 1 tbsp chopped spring onions and sugar. Mix well and add the vegetable stock. Boil the gravy. Add corn flour in water, little by little. I used around 3 spoons of corn flour in water. When the gravy starts to thicken, add the vegetable balls. Mix well. Switch off. Garnish with chopped spring onion. Serve hot with fried rice / noodles.

Adapted from Vahrehvah.com