Vegetable Manchow soup step-by-step recipe with video and photos.
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About this recipe
Manchow soup is an Indo-Chinese soup made with vegetables and Chinese sauce. This soup is very popular in Indian Chinese cuisine due to its easy preparation and bold flavors. It can be served as an appetizer or light meal. This easy vegan soup is very famous in Indian restaurants that have an Indo-Chinese menu.
This vegetarian soup is loved because of its spicy and sour taste. It is ready in no time once the veggies are chopped. This vegetable soup can be made either in an Instant Pot or on the stovetop. The IP version is way quicker and needs no monitoring.
This dark-colored soup is loaded with finely chopped vegetables in a spicy broth. It is thickened using cornstarch and served with crispy fried noodles. Perfect for cold winter nights, this dish is a delightful fusion of Indian and Chinese flavors.
I have earlier shared the recipe of sweet corn soup, which is also a popular Indo-Chinese soup. Read on for veg Manchow soup ingredients, useful tips, and step-by-step instructions.
What is Indo-Chinese food
Indo-Chinese or Indian-Chinese food is a distinct fusion cuisine where Chinese seasoning and cooking techniques are adapted to Indian taste buds. Popularly known as Desi Chinese, they are one of the most famous forms of street food in India.
This cuisine originated from the Chinese community in Kolkata (India) and is very popular not just in India, but within Indian communities outside of India. This fiery fusion of food has pungent sauces like soy sauce and vinegar combined with very Indian flavors like ginger, garlic, and chili making the most unique-tasting dishes.
Ingredients
Vegetables: I use onion, celery, spring onion (scallions), carrot, beans, and capsicum.
Ginger, garlic, and green chili: Ginger and garlic set this soup apart by adding Indian flavors. Adjust the chili as per your preference.
Stock: I use vegetable stock to make this soup.
Sauces: I use dark soy sauce, chili sauce, and vinegar.
Cornstarch: Cornstarch slurry is used to thicken the soup.
Fried noodles: This is used as a garnish but is a key ingredient of the soup and cannot be skipped.
Step by step instructions
1. Set the Instant Pot in saute mode and add oil. Add onion, celery, scallions, ginger, garlic, and green chili. Saute for 2 minutes
2. Add the vegetables, salt, pepper, soy sauce, vinegar, and chili sauce. Mix well
3. Add the stock and water. Mix well and secure the IP lid.
4. Set the Instant Pot to pressure cook mode for 5 minutes. Do a natural release of pressure for 5 minutes, then do a quick release.
5. Set the Instant Pot back to saute mode. Add the cornstarch slurry and simmer for 5 minutes.
Useful tips
This soup calls for dark soy sauce and it is the key ingredient to making this soup. It adds distinctive deep color to this soup.
Fried noodles are a must in this dish. It is not Manchow without fried noodles. I use store-bought ones; however, you can make them at home too.
To make fried noodles at home, toss some cooked noodles in cornstarch and deep fry until they are crispy and golden.
Adjust the salt as per soy sauce.
You can adjust the amount of cornstarch slurry to get the desired consistency.
It is very important to chop the vegetables evenly.
The vegetables I use are carrot, green beans, and capsicum (apart from onion, celery, and scallions). Other vegetables that go well in this soup are mushroom, corn, green cabbage, red cabbage, etc.
I use vegetable stock; however, chicken stock can also be used to make this soup.
To make this soup on a stovetop, follow this recipe and simmer on medium heat for 18-20 minutes instead of pressure cooking. The rest of the recipe remains the same.
Click here for more soup recipes.
FAQs
It can be served as an appetizer. Alternatively, pair it with grilled cheese or roasted potatoes for a complete meal.
Although this soup tastes best when made fresh, any leftover soup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat the soup in a saucepan over medium heat and adjust the consistency if it thickens.
Yes. Follow this recipe and simmer for 18-10 minutes instead of pressure cooking.
Bonus
This vegetable Manchow soup is:
- easy to make
- delicious and satisfying
- vegan, gluten-free
- great for meal prep
Recipe card
Veg Manchow Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ½ bunch spring onion (scallions) finely chopped
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 1 stick celery finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 inch ginger finely chopped
- 1 green chili finely chopped
- 2 cups mixed vegetables finely chopped (I used carrot, capsicum, beans)
- 2 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon vinegar
- 1 tablespoon chili sauce
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- Salt to taste
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- 3 cups water
- 1 cup fried noodles
- 2 tablespoon coriander leaves (cilantro)
To make the slurry
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot in saute mode and add oil
- Add onion, celery, scallions, ginger, garlic, and green chili. Saute for 2 minutes
- Add the vegetables, salt, pepper, soy sauce, vinegar, and chili sauce. Mix well
- Add the stock and water. Mix well and secure the IP lid
- Set the Instant Pot to pressure cook mode for 5 minutes
- Do a natural release of pressure for 5 minutes, then do a quick release
- Meanwhile, combine cornflour and water in a small bowl. Mix well making sure there are no lumps and set aside
- Set the Instant Pot back to saute mode
- Add the slurry and coriander leaves. Simmer for 5 minutes
- Top with fried noodles just before serving and serve hot
Kayla DiMaggio says
This vegetable manchow soup was so warming and delicious! I loved how easy it was to make!
Cindy Mom the Lunch Lady says
What lovely flavours in this soup. It is nice a hearty for a cold day! Delicious.
Dawn Conklin says
This vegetable manchow soup is so delicious and easy to make! We followed your suggestion and served it with grilled cheese for dinner. The family loved it.
Kalin Williams says
I don't think I've ever had this soup before but it sounds so flavorful! It seems so easy to make too
Gina Abernathy says
I love soup year round especially during the winter. The flavors sound amazing.
Emily Flint says
This soup looks and sounds delicious! I can't wait to make it this weekend since it's going to be a cold one!
Natalie says
Lovely dinner idea. True winter warmer. I'm putting this recipe on my weekly menu. Thanks
Sam says
This has such awesome flavor!! Thanks for a great recipe!
Kayla DiMaggio says
Loving this vegetable manchow soup! It is so delicious and the instant pot is the perfect way to cook it!
Sandhya Ramakrishnan says
OMG! My son loves this Manchow soup and I love this recipe. Instant pot is a blessing. So easy to make it as a one pot soup. How did you make your fried noodles?
Chris says
This soup looks so comforting. It has so much flavor. Will make this again for sure! Thank you!
Chris says
This soup is so good. I made it the other day and everyone loved it! Thank you!
Marinela says
Love this hearty vegetable manchow soup, it's incredibly flavorful and nourishing. It's the ultimate light meal idea for cold weather days. So comforting and unbelievably delicious!
Shilpa says
Hi Sandhya, I used store-bought fried noodles. But it's really simple to make- just coat cooked noodles with some cornstarch and deep fry 🙂
- Shilpa
nancy says
love this easy and flavourful fusion soup!
Anaiah says
I really enjoyed this vegetable manchow soup! It came together so easily in the Instant pot and was very flavorful. Definitely going to make this for dinner more often!
dave says
what an interesting combination. pinned