Add Preferred SourceVeg Manchurian is a popular Indo-Chinese dish that is made with fried vegetable balls in a spicy, sweet, and tangy sauce. It is a variation of the popular gobi Manchurian.
Crispy, deep-fried vegetable balls immersed in a spicy, tangy, and sweet sauce come together to form the incredibly delectable dish - vegetable Manchurian. Serve it with fried rice or Hakka noodles for scrumptious Indo-Chinese food at home that is better than takeaway!
Why you will love this recipe?
- Semi-gravy: This semi-gravy veg Manchurian recipe provides a saucier consistency that's perfect for drizzling over rice or noodles.
- Easy to prepare: While there are multiple steps involved in making this dish, it is easy to make.
- Good for gatherings: Vegetable Manchurian is a great choice for parties, gatherings, and special occasions due to its appealing taste and the ability to make it in batches to serve a crowd.
Ingredients
For the veggie balls, I am using cabbage, carrots, green beans, bell peppers, and scallions. For binding, we need all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and breadcrumbs.
For the Manchurian sauce, I am using soy sauce, rice vinegar, hot chili sauce, ginger, and garlic.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variation
Vegetable Manchurian comes in two main variations: dry and gravy. The dry version coats fried vegetable balls with a thick sauce, great as an appetizer. The gravy version submerges the balls in a liquid sauce, ideal for pairing with rice or noodles.
My recipe is semi-dry, suitable for both appetizers and main meals. For a dry version, skip the vegetable stock and toss the veg balls in the sticky sauce and corn flour mixture alone.
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: In a large bowl, combine together the veggies - cabbage, carrot, green beans, bell peppers, and scallions. To this, add ginger garlic paste, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper (images 1 and 2).
Step 2: Mix well to combine all the ingredients together. Sprinkle a few drops of water if the mixture is too dry. Take a small portion of the mixture and form a ball. Repeat with the rest of the mixture. Let the balls rest for 10 minutes in the refrigerator (images 3 and 4).
Step 3: Heat oil in a
Step 4: Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a
Step 5: Add the soy sauce, vinegar, tomato sauce (ketchup), and hot chilli sauce and mix well (image 7).
Step 6: Make a slurry by mixing the corn starch in ½ cup of water in a small bowl. Add the cornstarch slurry to the pan. Add sugar, salt, black pepper, and one cup of vegetable stock. Let the sauce boil and thicken slightly. Turn off the heat.
Add the crispy fried vegetable balls to the tangy Manchurian sauce before serving and mix gently. Garnish with green onions and serve hot.
Expert Tips
Chopping the vegetables evenly into small, bite-sized pieces for the veg dumplings/balls is crucial for uniform cooking. This ensures that the vegetables cook evenly and also enhances the overall presentation.
Indo-Chinese cooking is done on high heat quickly. Keep all the ingredients ready and handy before starting cooking the Manchurian sauce. Chop the vegetables, measure the sauces, and deep fry the veg balls before you begin making the gravy.
Use vegetable stock to make the Manchurian gravy instead of water. While water can also be used, making the sauce with vegetable stock gives the best taste to the gravy.
Soy sauce is quite salty. So, adjust the salt level accordingly. I use dark soy sauce to make this dish, which gives the dish its deep color. However, you may use light soy sauce or a mix of both.
You can also bake or air fry the Manchurian balls. Lightly spray or brush the Manchurian balls with oil, and then air fry them at 350 F for about 12-15 minutes or until they are golden brown and crispy. Alternatively, bake them for 20-25 minutes in a preheated oven at 350 F (180 C).
Serving Suggestion for veg Manchurian
Rice: Serve veg Manchurian with rice, such as jasmine rice, basmati rice, or white rice. The rice helps to absorb the delicious Manchurian sauce and soak up all of the flavors.
Fried rice varieties: Instead of plain steamed rice, pair veggie Manchurian with a variety of fried rice options such as egg fried rice, vegetable fried rice, or schezwan fried rice for a complete Indo-Chinese-inspired meal.
Noodles: Veg Manchurian can also be served with noodles, such as chow mein noodles, lo mein noodles, or Hakka noodles. The noodles are a great way to add some extra carbohydrates and substance to the dish.
Recipe FAQs
To store veg Manchurian, allow it to cool to room temperature, then transfer it to an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To maintain its crispy texture, it is best to store the Manchurian balls separately from the sauce. Reheat in a pan or microwave, adding a little water or stock to refresh the flavors and prevent drying out before serving.
Yes, vegetable Manchurian can be made gluten-free by making a few simple ingredient substitutions. To achieve this, use gluten-free soy sauce or tamari sauce in the Manchurian sauce. When making the veggie balls, replace all-purpose flour with gluten-free flour like rice flour or chickpea flour, and ensure that the breadcrumbs used are also gluten-free.
Veg Manchurian typically includes a mix of finely chopped or grated cabbage, carrots, capsicum (bell peppers), green beans, and spring onions. However, you can customize the vegetable selection based on your preferences. Some variations can be sweet corn, peas, or even mushrooms to create different textures and flavors, making it a versatile dish adaptable to a wide range of vegetables.
Yes, veg Manchurian is inherently vegan. It is primarily composed of vegetables, and the sauce typically consists of vegan-friendly ingredients like soy sauce, vinegar, and chili sauce. It's a popular choice among vegans and vegetarians due to its flavorful and satisfying nature.
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Recipe card
Indo-Chinese Veg Manchurian (Gravy)
Equipment
Ingredients
For the vegetable balls:
- 1½ cups cabbage finely chopped
- 1 large carrot grated
- ½ cup green beans finely chopped
- 1 small bell pepper finely chopped
- ½ cup scallions finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon salt (adjust as per taste)
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- Oil for deep frying
For the Manchurian sauce:
- ¼ cup bell pepper (diced)
- ¼ cup onion (chopped)
- ¼ cup scallion greens (chopped)
- 2 tablespoon oil
- ½ inch ginger (finely chopped)
- 2-3 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup
- 1 tablespoon hot chili sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt (adjust as per taste)
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 cup vegetable stock (sub with water)
Instructions
Make the vegetable balls:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine together the veggies - cabbage, carrot, green beans, bell peppers, and scallions. To this, add ginger garlic paste, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper.
- Mix well to combine all the ingredients together. Sprinkle a few drops of water if the mixture is too dry.
- Take a small portion of the mixture and form a ball. Repeat with the rest of the mixture. Let the balls rest for 10 minutes in the refrigerator.
- Heat oil in a frying pan or deep saucepan. Deep fry the balls on medium flame until they are golden and crispy.
- Drain on a paper towel and set them aside.
Make the Manchurian sauce:
- Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan or wok. Add the ginger and garlic and saute for a minute.
- Next, add bell pepper, onion, and spring onion. Saute on high heat for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the soy sauce, vinegar, tomato ketchup, and hot chili sauce, and mix well.
- Meanwhile, make a slurry by mixing the cornstarch in ½ cup of water. Add this to the pan.
- Add sugar, salt, pepper, and one cup of vegetable stock/water. Let the sauce boil and thicken slightly. Turn off the heat.
- Just before serving, add the veg balls to the Manchurian sauce and mix gently.
- Garnish with green onions and serve hot.
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