Indo-Chinese food is its own beautiful category — invented by Kolkata's Hakka Chinese community and now the beating heart of every desi restaurant menu. Veg Manchurian is the entry drug.
Little golden fried balls made from cabbage, carrot, capsicum and spring onion, then tossed in a sticky garlic-ginger-soy sauce until every ball is coated in glossy, glossy sauce. It comes in "dry" (this one, a starter) or "gravy" (with rice) — both are correct answers.
Once you make it once, you'll never order it again.
Why home cooks love this recipe
- Uses vegetables you already have — cabbage, carrot, capsicum.
- The balls can be fried in advance and tossed in sauce just before serving.
- Restaurant flavour with pantry ingredients — no MSG required.
Ingredients
- For the balls: 2 cups finely chopped cabbage, 1 cup grated carrot, ½ cup finely chopped capsicum, 3 tbsp chopped spring onion, 4 tbsp flour, 3 tbsp cornflour, 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste, salt, pepper
- Oil to fry
- For sauce: 3 tbsp oil, 1 tbsp minced garlic, 1 tbsp minced ginger, 2 green chillies, ½ cup chopped spring onion whites, 3 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp red chilli sauce, 1 tbsp vinegar, 1 tbsp tomato ketchup, ½ tsp sugar, 1 tsp cornflour + ¼ cup water
- Spring onion greens to finish
Method
- Mix all ball ingredients. The cabbage's moisture should bind everything — if too dry, add 1 tbsp water; too wet, add more flour.
- Roll into small walnut-sized balls with wet hands.
- Deep-fry in medium-hot oil, in batches, until deep golden and crisp, 4–5 minutes. Drain on paper towel.
- In a wok, heat oil on high. Add garlic, ginger, green chillies and spring onion whites. Toss 30 seconds — do not brown.
- Add soy, chilli sauce, vinegar, ketchup, sugar. Stir 30 seconds.
- Pour in cornflour slurry, stir until sauce thickens and turns glossy, about 1 minute.
- Kill the heat. Add the fried balls, toss quickly until coated. Sprinkle spring onion greens. Serve immediately — they lose crunch if they sit.
Chef's tip
Toss the balls in the sauce OFF the heat, right before serving. If they sit in hot sauce even 3 minutes, they turn from crispy to soggy. Fry ahead, sauce at the last second.
If you make this recipe, we'd love to see it — tag @saveur or drop a photo in our reader gallery. Happy cooking.