How to make restaurant-style Manchurian chilli at home for party snacks
Vegetable Manchurian balls tossed in a spicy chilli sauce suit starters, evening snacks or a side with noodles and fried rice.
Indo-Chinese food is popular with people of every age, from children to adults. Manchurian chilli is one dish that appeals to vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike. It works as a starter, as an evening snack, or as a side dish with noodles and fried rice.
The vegetable Manchurian balls are lightly crisp outside and soft inside. Different tangy sauces give them their distinct Indo-Chinese flavour. The recipe can be tried when guests come home or on a special occasion. It takes some time but is easy to make.
Ingredients for the Manchurian balls: 1 cup finely chopped cabbage, half a cup finely chopped carrot, half a cup finely chopped capsicum, 2 teaspoons finely chopped onion, 2 teaspoons cornflour, 2 teaspoons refined flour (maida), 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste, half a teaspoon black pepper powder, salt to taste and oil for frying.
Ingredients for the chilli sauce: 1 teaspoon oil, 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic, 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger, 1 green chilli finely chopped, half a cup of onion cut into squares, half a cup of capsicum cut into squares, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon red chilli sauce, 1 teaspoon tomato sauce, half a teaspoon vinegar, half a teaspoon black pepper powder, salt to taste, half a cup of water, and 1 teaspoon cornflour with 2 teaspoons of water.
First, put the cabbage, carrot, capsicum and onion in a bowl. Add the ginger-garlic paste, pepper, salt, cornflour and maida, and mix everything well. Then shape the mixture into small balls. If the mixture feels too loose, a little more cornflour or maida can be added.
Heat oil in a pan and fry the balls on medium heat until golden and crisp. Set the fried balls aside.
Heat a little oil in a second pan. Add the chopped ginger, garlic and green chilli and saute for a few seconds. Then add the onion and capsicum and stir-fry quickly on high heat. Do not cook the vegetables until fully soft. Leaving them slightly crunchy gives a better taste.
Next, add the soy sauce, red chilli sauce, tomato sauce, vinegar, pepper and salt as needed, and mix well. Add half a cup of water and bring it to the boil. Pour in the cornflour and water mixture. When the sauce thickens a little, add the fried Manchurian balls and toss on high heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Serve the Manchurian chilli hot.
