Baby Corn Manchurian is a spicy, sweet and sour Indian Chinese fusion dish. It can be made dry or with gravy. I have shared both these versions in this post.
- Baby Corn Manchurian Gravy – Best for Chinese Main Course
- Baby Corn Manchurian Dry – An excellent starter dish
Both these recipes are easy, taste good and are vegan. You can make either of them as per your taste.
About Baby Corn Manchurian Gravy
The recipe of Baby corn manchurian gravy has spicy, sweet, umami and sour tastes that taste great with veg fried rice or veg noodles or hakka noodles.
To make this dish, the baby corn are coated with corn starch (corn flour) and then fried. The fried baby corn are then tossed in a spicy sweet gravy made with onions, capsicum (green bell pepper), spices and some sauces.
To save time, I have deep fried them. But you can shallow fry or pan fry too. Sometimes I also pan fry them.
When making the gravy or sauce, you can add alter the amounts of soy sauce, chilli sauce and tomato ketchup as per your requirements.
Serve Baby Corn Manchurian Gravy with a rice dish like veg fried rice or burnt garlic fried rice or 5 spice rice or cumin rice or even plain steamed rice.
How to make Baby Corn Manchurian Gravy
Frying Baby Corn
1. Rinse and then chop 250 grams baby corn in 2 to 3 pieces. If they are small in size then no need to chop them.
2. Take the chopped baby corn in a mixing bowl. Add ¼ teaspoon black pepper and ¼ teaspoon salt or add as per taste.
3. Then add 2 tablespoons corn flour (corn starch).
4. Mix very well.
5. Heat oil as required in a kadai or pan. You can deep fry or shallow fry the baby corn. Check the oil temperature by adding one piece of baby corn. It should gradually come on top. Then the oil is ready for frying. If it stays at the bottom the oil is not hot enough, so increase the flame. If it comes up too quickly, the oil has become very hot, so reduce the flame.
6. Add the baby corn pieces.
7. Begin to fry at medium flame. When one side is crisp and light golden, turn over and fry the second side.
8. Flip a couple of times and fry till the baby corn pieces become golden and crisp.
9. Remove with a slotted spoon.
10. Place fried baby corn on kitchen paper towels. Continue to fry this way in batches.
Making Corn Flour Paste
11. In a small bowl take 2 tablespoons corn flour (corn starch).
12. Add 2 tablespoon water.
13. Mix very well to form a smooth paste. Keep aside.
Making Baby Corn Manchurian with Sauce
14. In another pan heat 2 tablespoons oil (sesame or peanut or sunflower oil). Then add 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger, 2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic and 1 teaspoon finely chopped green chilies.
15. Saute for one minute on a low flame or till the raw aroma of both ginger and garlic goes away.
16. Next add ⅓ cup chopped spring onions.
17. Stir fry on medium to high flame for 1 minute.
18. Then add ¼ cup finely chopped capsicum (green bell pepper).
19. Mix very well.
20. Stir fry on medium to high flame for 2 minutes.
21. Reduce the flame and then add 2 tablespoons tomato ketchup, 1 tablespoon soy sauce and ½ tablespoon red chili sauce (or sweet red chili sauce or sriracha sauce).
22. Mix very well.
23. Add 2 cups of water. For a thick gravy or sauce you can add less water.
24. Mix very well and simmer on a medium to high flame.
25. Let the water come to a boil.
26. Reduce the flame. Then add the corn starch paste. Stir the paste and then add as the corn starch settles down at the bottom of the bowl.
27. As soon as you add corn starch paste mix very well. In case you see lumps, then using a wired whisk stir and mix. Stirring with wired whisk helps in breaking the lumps.
28. Simmer on medium to high flame for 3 to 4 minutes. The sauce or gravy will also begin to thicken.
29. Then add salt as per taste.
30. Add ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder or as required.
31. Add ½ teaspoon sugar or as per taste.
32. Mix very well. check the taste and add more salt, pepper, sugar or any of the sauces if required.
33. Add the fried baby corn.
34. Mix again.
35. Switch off the flame and add ¼ cup chopped spring onion greens.
36. Lastly add ½ teaspoon rice vinegar or white vinegar or apple cider vinegar. Mix well.
37. Garnish with some chopped spring onions while serving. Serve Baby Corn Manchurian Gravy with veg fried rice or cumin rice or veg noodles or plain steamed rice. You can also serve with chapatis or phulkas. For more baby corn recipes you can check this collection of Baby Corn Recipes.
More Manchurian Recipes
This recipe post is from the archives and has been republished and updated on 28 May 2020.
Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card or leave a comment below if you have made it. For more vegetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter.
Baby Corn Manchurian Gravy
Ingredients
For Frying Baby Corn
- 250 grams baby corn
- 2 tablespoons corn flour (corn starch)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- oil as required for deep frying or shallow frying or pan frying
For Corn Flour Paste
- 2 tablespoons corn flour (corn starch)
- 2 tablespoon water
For Making Gravy or Sauce
- 2 tablespoons oil (toasted sesame oil or sunflower oil)
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped green chillies
- ⅓ cup chopped spring onions (scallions)
- ¼ cup finely chopped capsicum (green bell pepper)
- 2 tablespoons tomato ketchup or add as required
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or add as required
- ½ tablespoon red chili sauce or sweet red chili sauce or sriracha sauce or add as required
- 2 cups water or add as required
- salt as required
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder
- ½ teaspoon sugar - optional
- ¼ cup chopped spring onion greens (scallion greens)
- ½ teaspoon rice vinegar or white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- some chopped spring onions (scallion greens) for garnish
Instructions
Frying Baby Corn
- Rinse and then chop 250 grams baby corn in 2 to 3 pieces. If they are small in size then no need to chop them.
- Take the chopped baby corn in a mixing bowl. Add ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder and ¼ teaspoon salt or add as per taste.
- Then add 2 tablespoons corn flour (corn starch). mix very well.
- Heat oil as required in a kadai or pan. You can deep fry or shallow fry.
- Check the oil temperature by adding one piece of baby corn. It should gradually come on top. Then the oil is ready for frying. If it stays at the bottom the oil is not hot enough, so increase the flame. If it comes up too quickly, the oil has become very hot, so reduce the flame.
- Add the baby corn pieces. begin to fry at medium flame.
- When one side is crisp and light golden turn over and fry the second side.
- Flip a couple of times and fry till the baby corn pieces become golden and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon.
- Place them on kitchen paper towels. Continue to fry this way in batches.
Making Corn Flour Paste
- In a small bowl take 2 tablespoons corn flour (corn starch).
- Add 2 tablespoon water. Mix very well to form a smooth paste. Keep aside.
Making Baby Corn Manchurian Gravy
- In another pan heat 2 tablespoons oil (sesame or peanut or sunflower oil). Then add 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger, 2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic and 1 teaspoon finely chopped green chilies.
- Saute for one minute on a low flame or till the raw aroma of both ginger and garlic goes away.
- Next add ⅓ cup chopped spring onions.
- Stir fry on medium to high flame for 1 minute.
- Then add ¼ cup finely chopped capsicum (green bell pepper). mix very well.
- Stir fry on medium to high flame for 2 minutes.
- Reduce the flame and then add 2 tablespoons tomato ketchup, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, ½ tablespoon red chili sauce or sweet red chili sauce or sriracha sauce. Mix very well.
- Add 2 cups water. For a thick gravy or sauce you can add less water. Mix well and simmer on a medium to high flame.
- Let the water come to a boil.
- Reduce the flame. Then add the corn starch paste. Stir the paste and then add. As the corn starch settles down at the bottom of the bowl.
- As soon as you add corn starch paste mix very well. In case you see lumps, then using a wired whisk stir and mix. Stirring with wired whisk helps in breaking the lumps.
- Simmer on medium to high flame for 3 to 4 minutes. The sauce or gravy will also begin to thicken.
- Then add salt as per taste, ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder and ½ teaspoon sugar.
- Mix very well. Check the taste and add more salt, pepper, sugar or any of the sauces if required.
- Add the fried baby corn and mix again.
- Switch off the flame and add ¼ cup chopped spring onion greens.
- Lastly add ½ teaspoon rice vinegar or white vinegar or apple cider vinegar. Mix well.
- Garnish the gravy with some chopped spring onions while serving.
- Serve with Baby Corn Manchurian with veg fried rice, burnt garlic fried rice, veg noodles or plain steamed rice. You can also serve with chapatis or phulkas.
Notes
- Frying: You can deep fry or shallow fry or pan fry baby corn. While deep frying or shallow frying, check the oil temperature by adding one piece of baby corn. If it gradually comes on top, then the oil is ready for frying. If it stays at the bottom the oil is not hot enough, so increase the flame. If it comes up too quickly, then the oil has become very hot, so lower the flame. Use sunflower oil or safflower oil while frying.
- Seasonings: You can reduce or increase the seasonings and sauces as per your taste preferences.
- Substitutions:
- Spring Onions or Scallions: Use shallots or onions (white or red) if you do not have scallions.
- Soy sauce: You can use Bragg Aminos Liquid or Tamari.
- Corn Flour (Corn Starch): Substitute with Potato Starch, Tapioca Starch, Rice Flour or All-purpose flour.
- Rice vinegar: Replace with apple cider vinegar or white vinegar or mirin.
- Oil for the gravy or sauce: Using toasted sesame oil gives a nutty flavor. You can even use sunflower oil or any other neutral tasting oil when making the sauce.
Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)
About Dry Baby Corn Manchurian Recipe
Dry Baby Corn Manchurian is an excellent starter of fried batter coated baby corn tossed in a spicy, sweet & umami manchurian sauce.
This is one of my favorite Indo Chinese recipe of crispy, crunchy baby corn. Excellent as a starter or as a brunch snack.
The recipe is very simple and does not take much of your time. You can even make this as a quick brunch with bread, roti or naan.
Personally while making baby corn recipes, I like them to be little hot and spicy. I guess, most people like to have spicy versions of baby corn recipes.
I had made this dry Baby Corn Manchurian along with Goan mushroom curry. Both were a delicious combo with steamed rice.
Baby Corn Manchurian Dry
Ingredients
For Frying
- 200 grams baby corn
- 2 tablespoons corn flour (corn starch)
- 4 tablespoons all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste optional
- ½ teaspoon black pepper powder or crushed black pepper
- water as required
- salt as required
- oil as required for shallow frying the babycorn
For Sauce
- 2 small spring onions, chopped - reserve some greens for garnishing
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 green chili, finely chopped
- ½ inch ginger, finely chopped
- 4 to 5 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 small capsicum (green bell pepper), julienned or chopped, optional
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon tomato sauce
- ½ teaspoon black pepper powder or crushed black pepper
- ½ teaspoon red chilli powder
- ½ tablespoon finely chopped celery - optional
- 2 tablespoons sunflower oil or sesame oil
- salt and sugar as required
Instructions
Making Batter
- Rinse the baby corn in water.
- Chop them if they are slightly big.
- In a bowl mix all the dry ingredients listed under the batter ingredients except for baby corn and oil.
- Add water and make a thick batter.
- Dip the baby corn in the batter and coat them evenly.
- Shallow fry the baby corn till they are golden brown and crisp.
Making Baby Corn Manchurian Dry
- Heat oil in a wok or kadai.
- Add the spring onions and stir fry till they become translucent.
- Add the ginger, garlic, green chilies and celery. Stir fry for 4 to 5 seconds. If using capsicum, then add at this step and stir fry for a couple of minutes. The capsicum need to be half-done.
- Now add the soy sauce & tomato sauce. stir and mix well.
- Add the fried baby corn.
- Stir and season with salt, sugar, pepper & red chilli powder.
- Stir again till the sauce coats the baby corn evenly.
- Serve dry baby corn manchurian hot garnished with spring onion greens.
