Veg Manchurian

Ingredients

For Manchurian

1 cup finely chopped cabbage

1 cup grated carrots

1/2 cup grated cauliflower

1/2 cup finely chopped bell pepper

1/2 cup finely chopped green beans

1 bunch finely chopped green onions/scallions (about 5 to 7 stems)

2 tablespoons corn starch

2 tablespoon all purpose flour

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1 tablespoon chopped ginger

1 tablespoon chopped green chillis (you can alter this to suit your taste)

salt to taste

oil for frying

For sauce

2 tablespoons oil

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1 tablespoon chopped ginger

1 bunch green onion/scallions - chopped (keep a few of the chopped green stems aside for garnish)

3 tablespoons soy sauce (dark)

1 tablespoon sweet & sour sauce

1 tablespoon corn starch

2 cups water

salt to taste

Method

For machurian

Mix all the veggies and add 1 teaspoon of salt and let it stand for about 15 minutes. This is done to get all the water out of the veggies - so that the dough you make later does not get too soggy. Drain the water by squeezing the veggies well with a cheese cloth - you can do it by hand too. To this add the chopped garlic, chopped ginger, chopped chillies, chopped scallions, soy sauce, salt (only if required), corn starch and the flour and knead well. You should be able to make small manchurian balls which can be fired. Heat oil in a wok and add one manchurian first - see that it stays intact and does not break - if it breaks, just add a little more flour to the dough and mix well and try again.

Once all the manchurian is fried - drain it on a paper towel and let it stand till the sauce is made.

For Gravy

In a wok add oil. when it gets hot add the garlic, ginger and scallions and stir well to get the aromatics - be careful not to burn the garlic. add soy sauce and sweet & sour sauce and stir well. 

This is the simple sauce to make dry manchurian for appetizer

Then add 2 cups of water and mix well. make a simple mixture of the corn starch and water and add it to the manchurian gravy and stir well so no lumps are formed. this gravy should thicken now. If you want it to be more thick - just make some more corn starch mixture and add. Add salt to taste and bring it to a boil. Now add the fried manchurians and let it stand for about 20 minutes. Garnish with the scallions kept aside and serve with hakka noodles or fried rice.