Veg Manchurian

Vegetable Manchurian is an Indo Chinese recipe of deep fried veggie balls/koftas in a spicy sauce.  It is served as a side dish with fried rice and/or noodles or as an appetizer.

VEGETABLE MANCHURIAN BALLS:
Chopped Vegetables - about 5 cups
Green Chilli Paste - 1 tsp
Black Pepper Powder - 1/2 tsp
All Purpose Flour/Maida - 1/2 cup
Corn Starch - 2 tbsp
Oil for frying
Salt

SAUCE:
Green/Spring Onions - 1 cup
Red Onions - 2 tbsp (finely chopped)
Tomato - 1 medium 
Dry Red Chillies - 4
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tbsp
Soy Sauce - 2 tbsp
Vinegar - 1 tbsp
Tomato Ketchup - 1 tbsp
Oil - 1 tbsp

How to cook Chinese Vegetable Manchurian:
Preparing Vegetable Balls/Koftas:

• Finely chop any vegetables of your choice - cabbage, carrots, bell peppers/capsicum, green beans, broccoli, green onions.  
• In a microwave safe bowl, add chopped veggies, salt, green chilli paste and black pepper powder.  Mix and microwave for about 8 minutes, so that the veggies are half cooked.  Stop the microwave after every 2 minutes and stir. 
• Now add all purpose flour and corn starch to the bowl.  Mix well and check if balls can be formed with this mixture.  If not, add more flour.  Deep fry one ball in hot oil and check if it breaks.  If it breaks, add more flour.  Taste for seasoning and add more chilli, salt.  Make about 15 round balls and deep fry them in batches until golden brown.

Preparing Sauce:

• Puree tomatoes and red chillies to a fine paste.
• Heat a kadhai/wok and add about 1 tbsp oil.  Add ginger garlic paste and saute for a minute or so.  Add chopped spring onions and red onions.  Saute until onions turn soft.  Now add ground tomato paste, soy sauce, vinegar and ketchup.  Saute for about 2 minutes.  Add 1/2 cup water and cook it covered until the sauce thickens.  Taste the sauce and add salt if required.
• Lower the heat and add the fried veggie balls.  Stir gently so that the fried balls are coated well with the sauce and your Vegatable Manchurian is ready to devour.
• If you like the sauce more thicker, add 1 tbsp corn starch.

Garnish with green onions, cilantro and serve Vegetable Manchurian with noodles, fried rice.