Veg Manchurian Recipe
Learn how to make Veg Manchurian at home with simple ingredients and easy steps. Veg Manchurian is a much-loved Indian dish made with fried vegetable balls in a spicy and tangy gravy. It is a healthy vegetarian dish that is easy to make at home. It’s a healthy appetizer or spicy side dish. Pair Veg Manchurian with fried rice, you can also eat it with naan or roti. Follow this recipe steps made with simple ingredients to prepare a delicious Veg Manchurian gravy for dinner or a party.
Ingredients List
- 1 cup cabbage
- 1/2 cup carrots (grated)
- 1⁄4 cup french beans
- 2-3 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
- 2-3 tbsp all-purpose flour)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper powder
- 1 tsp soy sauce (optional, adds depth of flavor)
- 1-2 green chilies
- 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
- Oil & Salt
- 1 tbsp garlic (finely chopped)
- 1 tbsp ginger (finely chopped)
- 1-2 green chilies (finely chopped)
- 1⁄4 cup spring onions (finely chopped)
- 1⁄4 cup bell pepper (chopped)
- 1 tbsp tomato ketchup
- 1 tbsp red chili sauce
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- Water
- 1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 1/4 cup water (slurry)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper powder
Vegetable Manchurian Recipe Instructions
Prepare the Dough
1. Take a large mixing bowl and add spring onions and cabbage, then mix them well and squeeze out the excess water using your hands or a clean cloth to ensure the mixture isn’t too wet.
2. After removing the water, add carrots and capsicum into the same bowl and mix everything thoroughly to combine the vegetables evenly.
3. Next, add the following to the bowl:
- 2 tablespoons cornflour
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 finely chopped green chilies
Mix everything thoroughly to combine all the ingredients.
4. Keep mixing until the mixture forms a dough-like consistency that holds its shape. If the dough feels too soft or sticky, gradually add a small amount of flour to achieve the desired consistency.
Shape the Manchurian Balls
5. Take small portions of the dough and roll them into smooth, round ball shape using your hands. If the mixture feels too soft or sticky, add a bit more flour (cornflour or all-purpose flour) to help bind it properly.
Fry the Manchurian Balls
6. Heat oil in a deep frying pan over medium heat to deep fry the manchurian balls. Once hot, gently slide the balls into the oil in small batches.
7. Fry until they are golden brown and crispy on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain the excess oil on paper towels.
Prepare the Gravy
8. Heat oil in a pan. In a heated pan with a little oil, add garlic and ginger. Sauté for 1–2 minutes until they release a rich, fragrant aroma.
9. Add 2 chopped green chilies, tomatoes, bell pepper, and onion. Stir-fry for a minute to enhance the flavor base of your Manchurian gravy.
10. Add 1 teaspoon of red chili powder or red chili sauce. Cook for another minute until everything is well combined.
11. In a small bowl, mix cornflour with a little water to make a smooth slurry for veg manchurian. Pour this into the pan while stirring continuously to avoid lumps.
12. Add 1 cup of water and let the manchurian gravy simmer on low heat until it thickens. Season with ½ teaspoon of black pepper and salt to taste.
Add Vegetable Manchurian Balls to Gravy
13. Gently add the crispy vegetable balls to the prepared gravy. Let them cook in the sauce for 5-10 minutes, allowing them to absorb the flavors and become slightly soft. Stir the gravy occasionally to ensure the vegetable manchurian balls are coated evenly and prevent sticking while it simmers.
Garnish Veg Manchurian
14. Once cooked, turn off the heat. Garnish with 2 tablespoons chopped spring onion and serve hot Veg Manchurian with fried rice or noodles for a delicious meal.
Serving Suggestions for Veg Manchurian
- Serve veg manchurian, garnished with finely chopped spring onions and fresh coriander leaves for a burst of color and freshness.
- Fry the Manchurian balls on medium heat to get them crispy on the outside while soft on the inside. Pair with steamed jasmine or basmati rice for a balanced meal.
- Serve the Veg Manchurian with steamed rice, roti, chapati, or paratha. It also makes a healthy accompaniment to any Indian meal as a side dish or snack.
- Offer with a side of tangy chili garlic sauce or soy sauce to enhance the flavors.
- For appetizers, serve Manchurian balls on a platter with toothpicks and a dipping sauce.
FAQs
Veg Manchurian is a popular dish consisting of deep-fried vegetable balls tossed in a tangy, savory sauce.
Yes, you can bake the Manchurian balls at 200°C (400°F) until golden and cooked through, but frying gives a crispier texture.
Common healthy vegetables include cabbage, carrots, beans, bell peppers, and spring onions, finely chopped or grated.
Veg Manchurian is made with all-purpose flour or cornflour, which may contain gluten. You can substitute with gluten-free flours like rice flour or chickpea flour to make it gluten-free.
Recipe Card
Veg Manchurian Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Large mixing bowl
- 1 Grater or food processor
- 1 Chopping board and knife
- 1 Deep frying pan
- 1 Slotted spoon
- 1 Tongs
- 1 Saucepan or wok (for gravy)
- 1 Spatula or Ladle
- 1 Paper towels (for draining fried balls)
Ingredients
- 1 cup cabbage finely chopped or grated
- 1/2 cup carrots grated
- 1/4 cup french beans finely chopped, optional
- 2 tbsp cornflour cornstarch
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour maida
- 1/2 tsp black pepper powder
- 1/2 tsp salt adjust as needed
- 1 tsp soy sauce optional
- 2 green chilies finely chopped
- 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste adrak-lehsun ka paste
- Oil for deep frying
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 tbsp garlic finely chopped
- 1 tbsp ginger finely chopped
- 2 green chilies finely chopped
- 1/4 cup spring onions finely chopped
- 1/4 cup bell pepper chopped
- 1 tbsp tomato ketchup
- 1 tbsp red chili sauce
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- 2 cups water or vegetable stock
- 1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 1/4 cup water slurry
- Salt to taste
- 1/2 tsp black pepper powder
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add chopped cabbage and spring onions. Squeeze out extra moisture.
- Add carrots and capsicum and mix well.
- Add cornflour, all-purpose flour, black pepper, salt, green chilies, and ginger-garlic paste. Combine until dough-like.
- Shape into small manchurian balls. You can add extra flour if needed for binding.
- Heat oil in a deep pan to fry veg manchurian balls.
- Fry the vegetable balls in batches on medium heat until golden and crispy.
- Drain on paper towels.
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan.
- Add chopped garlic, ginger, and green chilies. Sauté for 1–2 minutes.
- Add spring onions, bell pepper, and stir-fry briefly.
- Add ketchup, chili sauce, vinegar, black pepper, and salt. Mix everything well.
- Pour in water or stock. Bring to a simmer.
- Add cornflour slurry and cook until the gravy thickens.
- Gently add fried Manchurian balls into the gravy.
- Simmer on low heat for 5–10 minutes so the balls soak up the flavors.
- Turn off heat. Let it rest for a few minutes.
- Garnish Veg Manchurian with chopped spring onion greens.
- Serve Veg Manchurian with fried rice, noodles, or naan.
Notes
- Calories may vary depending on the quantity of oil absorbed during deep frying.
- Don’t make the veg mixture too watery otherwise it will absorb oil.
- Use medium heat to fry the balls to get a crisp texture.
- Adjust spice with chili sauce and green chilies as per taste.
