Veggie Manchurian Recipe
Manchurian balls, onions, capsicums, chilli garlic & dark soya sauce
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Ingredients
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Manchurian Balls
Sauce & Vegetables
Method
Manchurian Balls
- 1
Prepare Vegetables
Place shredded cabbage in a bowl, sprinkle 1/4 tsp salt, toss and let sit 5 minutes. Squeeze out excess water firmly using your hands or a clean towel until cabbage is only slightly moist. This prevents soggy balls.
- 2
Make Mixture
In a large mixing bowl combine the squeezed cabbage, grated carrot, spring onion whites, chopped capsicum, ginger-garlic paste, chopped green chili, 1 tsp soy sauce, white pepper, 1/2 tsp salt, 3 tbs all-purpose flour and 3 tbs cornstarch. Add about 2 tablespoons water as needed and mix thoroughly until the mixture holds together when pressed. If too wet, add 1 tbs more cornstarch; if too dry, add a little water, 1 tsp at a time.
- 3
Shape Balls
Divide the mixture into 12–14 equal portions. With lightly oiled hands, press each portion into a compact ball about 1 to 1.25 inches (2.5–3 cm) in diameter. Place on a plate lined with parchment or lightly oiled.
- 4
Shallow Fry
Heat 6 tablespoons vegetable oil in a wide nonstick skillet over medium heat. When oil is hot (test by dropping a small piece; it should sizzle), add balls in a single layer with space between. Cook 3–4 minutes per side, turning gently, until all sides are golden brown and crisp. Work in batches to avoid overcrowding. Transfer fried balls to a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.
Sauce & Vegetables
- 5
Prepare Sauce Mixture
In a small bowl combine tomato ketchup (3 tbs), chili sauce (1 tbs), dark soy sauce (1 tbs), light soy sauce (1 tsp) and vinegar (1 tsp). Stir and set aside. In another small cup, mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water to make a smooth slurry; set aside.
- 6
Stir-Fry Aromatics & Veggies
Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a wide skillet or wok over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add minced garlic, julienned ginger and slit green chili; sauté 20–30 seconds until fragrant but not browned. Add diced onion and cook 1.5–2 minutes until edges start to turn translucent. Add diced capsicum and sliced spring onion whites; stir-fry 1.5–2 minutes so vegetables remain crisp-tender.
- 7
Add Sauces & Simmer
Pour the prepared sauce mixture into the wok with the vegetables. Add 3 tablespoons vegetable stock or water, stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer for 30–45 seconds to marry flavors. Taste and adjust salt (about 1/4 tsp) and black pepper (1/4 tsp) as needed.
- 8
Thicken Sauce
Give the cornstarch slurry a quick stir and slowly drizzle it into the simmering sauce while stirring constantly. Cook for 30–60 seconds until sauce thickens to a glossy, coat-the-spoon consistency. If sauce becomes too thick, add 1 teaspoon hot water and stir to loosen.
- 9
Coat Manchurian Balls
Gently add the fried Manchurian balls to the thickened sauce and toss carefully to coat each ball without breaking them. Cook together for 1 minute to heat the balls through and let them absorb some sauce. Turn off the heat and drizzle 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil (optional) for aroma. Sprinkle chopped spring onion greens and toss lightly.
- 10
Serve
Transfer Veggie Manchurian to a serving plate, garnish with more spring onion greens if desired. Serve hot as an appetizer or with fried rice/noodles as a main.