Vegetable Manchurian Dry
Crispy fried vegetable balls tossed in a tangy, spicy, and savory sauce. This popular Indo-Chinese appetizer is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, perfect for parties or as a delicious evening snack.
For 4 servings
4 steps. 20 minutes total.
- 1
Prepare the vegetable mixture for the balls
- a.In a large bowl, combine the finely chopped cabbage, grated carrots, chopped french beans, and spring onion greens. Add 1/2 tsp salt and let it sit for 5 minutes. Squeeze out all the excess water from the vegetables. This is crucial to get crispy manchurian balls. To the squeezed vegetables, add all-purpose flour, cornflour, ginger-garlic paste, soy sauce, black pepper powder, and the remaining 1/4 tsp salt. Mix everything well to form a firm, dough-like mixture. Do not add any extra water.
- 2
Shape and deep fry the manchurian balls
- a.Heat oil in a kadai or deep pan over medium heat. Grease your palms lightly with oil and shape small, bite-sized balls from the vegetable mixture. Carefully slide the balls into the hot oil. Don't overcrowd the pan; fry in 2-3 batches. Fry for 5-6 minutes, turning occasionally, until they are golden brown and crisp. Remove the fried balls with a slotted spoon and drain them on a plate lined with paper towels.
- 3
Prepare the manchurian sauce
- a.Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a large wok or pan on high heat. Add the chopped ginger, garlic, and slit green chillies. Sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the diced onion and capsicum. Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes until they are slightly tender but still have a crunch. Reduce the heat to medium. Add soy sauce, red chilli sauce, tomato ketchup, vinegar, sugar, and black pepper powder. Mix well and cook for 1 minute.
- 4
Thicken the sauce and finish the dish
- a.In a small bowl, mix 1 tbsp cornflour with 3 tbsp of water to make a smooth slurry with no lumps. Pour the cornflour slurry into the pan, stirring continuously. Cook for about a minute until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy. Add the fried vegetable balls to the sauce. Toss gently to coat them evenly. Garnish with chopped spring onion greens and turn off the heat. Serve immediately.
What to keep in mind.
6 tips from the recipe — small details that make a real difference to the final dish.
- 1Squeezing the water out of the vegetables is the most important step for crispy, non-soggy manchurian balls.
- 2Fry the balls on medium heat to ensure they cook through to the center without burning on the outside.
- 3Have all your sauces and ingredients ready before you start stir-frying, as the process is very quick.
- 4Toss the fried balls in the sauce just before serving to keep them as crispy as possible.
- 5For a healthier alternative, you can bake the manchurian balls at 200°C (400°F) for 20-25 minutes or use an air fryer.
- 6Adjust the amount of red chilli sauce to control the spice level to your liking.
Adapt it for your goals.
Gluten free
Replace the all-purpose flour with rice flour or a gluten-free flour blend. Use tamari instead of regular soy sauce to ensure the dish is completely gluten-free.
veganVegan
This recipe is naturally vegan. Just ensure the red chili sauce and ketchup used do not contain any animal-derived ingredients.
high proteinHigh protein
Add 1/2 cup of grated paneer (cottage cheese) or crumbled firm tofu to the vegetable mixture to boost the protein content.
jainJain
Omit onion, garlic, ginger and carrots. Use raw banana, cabbage, and capsicum as the base for the balls and the sauce.
