Ingredients:

• For making vegetable balls:
• 2.25 cups – purple cabbage, grated
• 1/4 cup – carrots, grated
• 1/4 cup – frozen beans, chopped
• 1/4 cup – frozen peas
• 1/4 cup – paneer, grated
• 1 – potato, steamed and mashed (or boiled)
• 1 – spring onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp – soy flour (or use Corn flour)
• 1 – green chilli, thinly sliced (or as per taste)
• 1-2 – garlic, minced (as per taste)
• 1 inch – ginger, peeled and grated
• Salt and pepper to taste (remember the gravy will need salt too)
• For the Manchurian Gravy/Sauce:
• 2-3 – garlic, minced (as per taste)
• 1 inch – ginger, peeled and grated
• 3 – spring onions, greens and whites separated
• 1/4 cup – mixed coloured bell peppers, finely chopped (or use whatever you have on hand)
• 1-2 – Green chillies as per taste (optional)
• 1-2 tbsp – soy sauce (depending on the brand of soy sauce)
• 2 tbsp – soy flour mixed with 1 cup – water (or Corn flour)
• About 1/2 tsp – Sugar
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Steam the potatoes and mash them with skin on to retain the nutrition.
2. If using fresh beans and peas, boil them and mash. Add all the ingredients for the balls together in a bowl.
3. Mash them well with a masher or your hands until it comes together.
4. It should be a firm dough tight enough for you to shape them into balls.
5. If loose, add more soy flour or paneer to help it bind.
6. If too tight, add a few drops of water (or vegetable stock) to make them into required consistency.
7. You can do a taste test at this point to see if the seasoning is right for you.
8. Make sure the salt is a little less. The gravy will have salt too and you don’t want the dish to end up salty.
9. Shape them into small balls.
10. Refrigerate them for about 15-20 minutes.
11. In a plate, add a few tbsp of all-purpose flour and coat the balls lightly with it.
12. Dust off the excess.
13. Heat pan, add a few tsp of oil and when hot, drop balls in it.
14. The amount of oil needed would depend on the size of the ball.
15. Mostly 1 tsp of oil is sufficient for frying one ball completely on all sides.
16. Make sure the oil is hot, otherwise the ball will fall apart.
17. Rotate the ball on all sides to cook evenly.
18. Drain on paper towels and set aside. For gravy:
19. In a skillet/non-stick pan, heat 1 tsp of oil.
20. When the oil starts smoking, add the ginger, garlic, spring onion whites, bell peppers and chilli and saute for a few seconds.
21. Add 1 cup of water along with corn flour, soy sauce, sugar and spring onion greens.
22. Simmer for a few minutes until it all comes together as a gravy/ thick sauce.
23. You can do a taste test and season with more salt/soy sauce if needed.
24. If it is too thick, add more water or if it is too runny, add a little more corn flour paste, making sure that you season the gravy accordingly.
25. Just before serving, add the vegetable balls to the sauce.
26. Serve with vegetable fried rice.
27. Recipe Courtesy: http://chefinyou.com/