Making veg Manchurian is a delicious and easy way to make a vegetarian version of the popular Chinese dish. The balls are made with cabbage, carrots, green beans, and spices and then simmered in a flavorful sauce. The recipe offers instructions for making vegetable balls and gravy, making it perfect for serving a large crowd or leftovers.
This recipe post aims to share my expertise and provide a comprehensive recipe for Veg Manchurian. I have tested and tweaked many veg Manchurian recipes until I found the perfect balance of taste and texture. I'll walk you through each step of the recipe and give you some tips and tricks to ensure perfect results every time. So, let's get started!
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💎 Why This Recipe Works
- It's versatile: Veg manchurian can be made in a variety of ways, depending on your taste preferences. You can make it as spicy or as mild as you like, and you can use a wide range of vegetables, from cabbage and carrots to green beans.
- It's easy to make: Although it may sound complicated, veg manchurian is quite simple. All you need are a few key ingredients and some basic kitchen equipment.
- It's a crowd-pleaser: Whether you're cooking for yourself or entertaining a group of friends, veg manchurian is a dish that's sure to please everyone. Its unique blend of flavors and textures is always a hit, and the dish is so hearty that even meat eaters won't miss the meat.
❓ What is Manchurian?
Manchurian is a fusion dish that originated from the Chinese community living in Kolkata, India. It’s said that the dish was created by Nelson Wang, a Kolkata-based Chinese chef, who wanted to create something new and exotic for his Indian customers.
The dish was inspired by the traditional Chinese dish, Sichuan-style fried chicken, but was modified to suit Indian tastes. The dish became an instant hit and spread throughout India as a popular Chinese takeaway dish with several regional variations.
🔪 How is Vegetable Manchurian Made?
It is typically made with chopped vegetables that are mixed with flour and water to form a dough. This dough is then shaped into small balls and deep-fried.
Once fried, the Manchurian balls are sautéed in a sauce made with soy sauce, chili sauce, garlic, and ginger. Sometimes vinegar or MSG is also added to the sauce. The dish is normally garnished with chopped cabbage or spring onions.
The end result is a dish that is both flavorful and crunchy. The fact that it can be made with easily accessible ingredients such as cabbage (patta gobhi), green beans (haree sem), and carrots (gajar) has also contributed to its popularity.
🛒 Ingredients
Let's take a closer look at these ingredients and how they contribute to the finished dish. The full list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Mixed Vegetables: The vegetables used in this recipe can vary depending on what is available, but cabbage, carrot, green beans, and spring onions are commonly used. These vegetables are chopped into small pieces so that they will cook evenly.
- Ginger & Garlic: Ginger and garlic are two of the most important ingredients in Indian cuisine. They add a unique flavor to the dish that you cannot get from any other ingredient. In this recipe opt for fresh rather than ginger garlic paste.
- Green Chili: Green chili is used to add a bit of heat to the dish. If you do not want your Manchurian to be too spicy, you can omit this ingredient or use less of it.
- Flours: All-purpose flour, corn flour, and rice flour (to make it crispy) are all used in this dish. The all-purpose flour helps to bind the ingredients together, while the corn flour and rice flour adds a bit of crispy texture.
- Seasonings: Salt and pepper are used to season the dish. You can adjust the amount of salt and pepper to taste.
🔔 Be sure to check out the recipe card for all the ingredients and instructions you'll need to make this dish. Don't miss out on any of the details!
📑 Substitutions and Variations
Veg Manchurian is a delicious way to incorporate vegetables into your cooking. But not all veggies work equally well, so choose those with low water content. There are various types of vegetable Manchurian recipes with distinct tastes. Some popular options include:
- Mixed Vegetables: The vegetables used in Veg Manchurian can vary depending on what is available, but cabbage, carrot, green beans, and spring onions are commonly used. These vegetables are chopped into small pieces so that they will cook evenly.
- Ginger & Garlic: Ginger and garlic are two of the most important ingredients in Indian cuisine. They add a unique flavor to the dish that you cannot get from any other ingredient. In this recipe, opt for fresh rather than ginger garlic paste.
- Green Chili: Green chili is used to add a bit of heat to the dish. If you do not want your Manchurian to be too spicy, you can omit this ingredient or use less of it.
- Flours: All-purpose flour, corn flour, and rice flour (to make it crispy) are all used in this dish. The all-purpose flour helps to bind the ingredients together, while the corn flour and rice flour adds a bit of crispy texture.
- Seasonings: Salt and pepper are used to season the dish. You can adjust the amount of salt and pepper to taste.
- Customizing the spice level: You can adjust the spiciness of the Manchurian to suit your taste. Add chili flakes or extra green chilies for more heat, or skip the chili for a milder version that everyone can enjoy.
👩🏻🍳 How to Make Veg Manchurian
Making vegetable manchurian balls are relatively easy and can be done by following a few simple steps:
Making Manchurian veggie balls
Image 1: In a large bowl, mix finely chopped cabbage, carrot, green beans, spring onions, green chili, garlic, and ginger with corn flour, all-purpose or plain flour, and rice flour.
Image 2: Form small balls from the mixture, adding the required amount of water to the mixture a little at a time if necessary.
Frying the Manchurian veggie balls
Image 3: Heat a pan with enough frying oil and cook the veggie balls until thoroughly cooked and crispy outside. Drain them well in order to eliminate the excess oil and keep them crispy.
Making the Manchurian sauce
- In a wok or skillet over medium heat:
- Add oil, then chopped ginger, garlic, and green chili; sauté for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
- Add diced green pepper and onion, and stir fry for 1-2 minutes.
- Add soy sauce, schezwan sauce, vinegar, and water until boiling, then turn off the heat.
- To thicken the sauce add the cornflour mixed with a little water.
- Once the sauce is thickened, add Manchurian balls to wok/skillet with the sauce; toss gently until coated, then garnish with spring onion greens or cabbage strips before serving. Other varieties of Manchurians can be prepared using this vegetable manchurian gravy recipe.
🙋 People Also Ask [FAQs]
Manchurian is a dish that is native to the Manchuria region in northeast China.
Manchurian can be eaten with fried rice, noodles, or bread.
In a sealed container, veg Manchurian will last in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for 1-2 months. To reheat, thaw in the fridge overnight then sauté in a pan over medium heat until warmed through.
💡 Expert Tips and Tricks
I've spent countless hours perfecting this recipe. I've learned some valuable tips and tricks along the way that I want to share with you all.
1. Achieving the right texture
- Use the right vegetables: Choose vegetables that have low water content, such as carrots, green beans, and peas. This will prevent the balls from becoming too soggy.
- Grate the vegetables: Grating the vegetables instead of chopping them makes them cook quicker, resulting in a more delicate texture.
- Add binding agents: You need to bind the vegetables together to get the perfect texture. Use flour, breadcrumbs, or crushed crackers as a binding agent.
- Fry at the right temperature: The oil should be hot but not smoking. Fry the balls in batches and make sure there is enough oil to cover them completely.
2. Adjusting the consistency of the sauce
- Add liquid: If your sauce is too thick, add some liquid, such as water or broth. Add a little at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
- Thicken the sauce: Use a thickening agent like cornstarch or flour if your sauce is too thin. Mix it with a small amount of cold water first to prevent lumps.
- Simmer the sauce: Let the sauce simmer for a few minutes to allow it to thicken. Keep stirring to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
🍴 Serving Suggestions and Pairings
Let's break down some easy yet impressive serving suggestions and pairings to elevate your meal and your guests' experience.
- Fried Rice: One of the most popular ways to serve veg manchurian is with fried rice. The combination of the flavorful, saucy manchurian with the fragrant, fluffy rice is simply unbeatable. You can go for classic fried rice, or switch it up with some spicy szechuan fried rice for an extra kick.
- Noodles: Another classic pairing for vegetable manchurian is with noodles. You can go for hakka noodles, egg Noodles, or even ramen Noodles - it all comes down to personal preference. The sauce works well with the noodles; you can add veggies like bell peppers or mushrooms for extra crunch.
- Indian Breads: If you're in the mood for carbs, why not pair your veg manchurian with delicious Indian breads? Naan, Roti, Paratha, or even Puri - take your pick. The soft, pillowy breads work really well with the tangy manchurian sauce and add a different flavor profile to the dish.
- Quinoa or Brown Rice: For a healthier pairing option, you can switch out the classic Fried Rice or Noodles with some Quinoa or Brown Rice. The nutty, earthy flavors of these grains work really well with the manchurian, and they make for a wholesome and filling meal.
📖 Wrap Up: Veg Manchurian Recipe
- Vegetable Manchurian is a popular Indo-Chinese dish consisting of vegetable balls made with cabbage, carrots, green beans, and spices, simmered in a flavorful sauce.
- The recipe provides detailed instructions for making vegetable balls and gravy, ensuring the perfect texture and consistency.
- It offers flexibility with ingredient substitutions and variations, allowing customization based on personal preferences and the availability of vegetables.
- It can be enjoyed as a main dish or served as a side with noodles or fried rice.
- This vegetable manchurian recipe is a delicious and easy way to incorporate vegetables into your cooking, providing a vegetarian version of the popular Chinese dish.
- If you are looking for a new recipe to try, give this restaurant style veg manchurian a try!
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🍽️ Recipe
Yummy and Delicious Veg Manchurian
Ingredients
To Make Manchurian Balls:
- ¼ cabbage finely chopped
- ½ carrot finely chopped
- 3 green beans finely chopped
- 2 sprigs spring onions finely chopped
- 1 green chili chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste
- 3 tablespoon corn flour
- 3 tablespoon all purpose flour maida or plain flour
- 1 tablespoon rice flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
For Deep Frying
- 2 cups Vegetable Oil
To Make The Gravy
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil or sunflower oil
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 green chili chopped
- ½ green pepper diced
- ½ onion diced
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon schezwan sauce
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- ½ cup water
- 1 sprig cilantro leaves finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon corn flour mixed in ¼ cup of water
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder
- ¼ teaspoon ajinomoto optional
- 2 sprigs spring onion greens for garnish
Instructions
Step 1. To make veg manchurian balls
- Start by preparing the Manchurian balls. In a large mixing bowl, combine the finely chopped cabbage, carrot, green beans, spring onions, green chili, garlic, and ginger.
- Add the corn flour, maida flour, rice flour, salt, and black pepper and mix until everything is well combined. Use your hands to form small balls out of the mixture and set aside.
Step 2. To fry veg manchurian balls
- Heat oil in a deep frying pan or wok. The oil should be sufficiently hot before adding the balls, otherwise, they will absorb too much oil and become greasy.
- Fry a few balls at a time and do not overcrowd the pan and fry them on medium heat, but it will depend on the size of the veggie balls.
- Fry until they are crisp and golden brown on the outside. This process should take around 7-8 mins. Drain on paper towels to remove any excess oil.
Step 3. To make veg manchurian gravy
- Next, heat the oil in a large wok or skillet over medium heat.
- When the oil is hot, add the chopped ginger garlic, and green chili and sauté for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
- Add the diced green pepper and onion and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes or they don't need to be soft.
- Then add the soy sauce, schezwan sauce, vinegar, cilantro, and water, until the mixture boils.
- Now add corn flour/water mixture, and stir right away for a minute to avoid cornflour from sticking at the bottom.
- Then add salt, black pepper powder, and ajinomoto (if using).
- Allow it to come to a boil before turning off the heat. The sauce should be thickened at this point.
- Finally, add the prepared Manchurian balls to the wok or skillet with the sauce and gently toss them until they are fully coated.
- Garnish with spring onion greens before serving. Serve with rice or noodles as desired.
Notes
- If the mixture is too wet to form balls, add a little more flour until it is manageable. If the mixture is too dry, add a little more water until it is moist enough to form balls. It should be slightly sticky but not wet. Also, make sure the balls are not too big or they will fall apart when frying.
- If you don't have schezwan sauce, you can also use garlic red chilli sauce.
- Keeping your veg Manchurian in a sealed container can last up to 3 days in the fridge or 1-2 months in the freezer. To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge, then cook over medium heat until warmed through.
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