Manchurian Gravy | Veg Manchurian Gravy

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A Manchurian is one of the most popular Indo-Chinese dishes in India. Manchurian Gravy pairs equally good with a simple noodle dish or even a flavorful fried rice. This post has the recipe of a Veg Manchurian Gravy, which is simply crispy fried mixed vegetable balls in a sweet, spicy, tangy, umami manchurian gravy or sauce. Try it, as I’m sure once you make it at home, you’ll forget the ones served at restaurants.

manchurian gravy garnished with chopped spring onion greens and served in a black rimmed bowl with chopsticks kept on the left side.

About Manchurian Gravy

This Manchurian Gravy variation is the most preferred choice of dish, when you want to have something saucy, sweet, spicy and tangy with a basic Veg Fried Rice, Schezwan Fried Rice or even just the good ol’ steamed rice.

So, this Veg Manchurian Gravy basically has a spicy and sweet umami sauce, in which fried mixed vegetable balls are dunked. The sauce has a mix of eclectic flavors like sweet, savory, spicy and sour. This particular recipe is also vegan.

I love Indo-Chinese food, and so does everyone in my family too. Such has been my love for this fusion cuisine, that in my teens I would make 3 of my favorite Indo-Chinese recipes often at home – this Veg Manchurian, Chilli Paneer and Sweet Corn Soup. This list is actually quite long now!

The best part of most Indian-Chinese recipes is that, you can change the consistency as per your liking. If you want a thin consistency, add some veg broth/stock or water.

If you want a thick consistency, add a few teaspoons of cornstarch (cornflour) paste. This Manchurian Gravy thickens, after it cools down. So, when reheating, you may have to add some water.

Like all my other recipes here, this Veg Manchurian Gravy too is a tried and tested recipe. It results in a sumptuous dish that pairs just as excellently with plain steamed rice as with any other Indo-Chinese fried rice dishes.   

Step-by-Step Guide

How to make Veg Manchurian Recipe

Make Vegetable Balls

1. Take the finely chopped or grated veggies in a bowl. You will need the below listed vegetables:

  • ½ cup finely chopped red cabbage
  • ½ cup grated carrot
  • ¼ cup finely chopped capsicum (green bell pepper)
  • ¼ cup finely chopped French beans
  • ¼ cup finely chopped spring onions

You can also add regular green cabbage, instead of red or purple cabbage.

finely chopped or grated vegetables added in a bowl for making veg manchurian gravy.

2. Next, add the the following dry ingredients to the mixed vegetables

  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch (called cornflour in India and UK)
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt or as required
cornstarch, all purpose flour, black pepper powder and salt added to vegetables for making veg manchurian gravy.

3. Mix to bring the whole mixture together. Then, kind of mix and knead so that the veggies leave moisture and you get a dough-like mixture.

But do not knead like that a bread or roti dough. Gluten strands can form that will result in a dense, chewy texture in the fried Manchurian balls.

Thus, only mix very well and press so that the veggies release their juices.

vegetables mixed with ingredients for making veg manchurian gravy.

4. Then, take a small portion of the mixture in your hands.

small portion of vegetable mixture taken in hand for making veg manchurian gravy.

5. Press and roll it in your palm and make a round ball.

round ball formed of the vegetable mixture.

6. Make all vegetable balls this way and keep aside. You can spread some oil on your palms while making the vegetable balls.

prepared vegetable balls placed on a plate.

Fry Vegetable Balls

7. Heat oil for deep frying in a kadai or pan. Add a small piece of veggie ball in the hot oil.

If the ball does not stick or settle down at the bottom of the pan, but comes up steadily, the oil is ready for frying the balls.

In case the balls break, then some more binding agent is required. So, you can add 2 to 3 teaspoons more of all-purpose flour (maida).

checking temperature of hot oil for frying vegetable balls.

8. Gently place the balls in the hot oil. The oil has to be medium hot.

Too much heat and the Manchurian balls will be browned from the top and uncooked from the inside. Less hot oil will make the balls absorb too much oil.

veggie balls added to hot oil.

9. When cooked from one side and light golden or golden, turn the balls with a slotted spoon.

frying veg balls in hot oil.

10. Fry the balls till crisp and golden, turning them over a couple of times. Remove them with a slotted or perforated spoon and drain as much oil as possible.

removing fried veggie balls from hot oil using a perforated spoon.

11. Place the fried vegetable balls on a kitchen paper towel.

For a low-fat version, you can cook the veggie balls in an appe or appam pan or Æbleskiver pan. Fry the veg balls this way in batches and set aside.

fried veg balls placed on kitchen paper towel.

More Prep

12. In a small bowl, take the following sauces:

  • ½ tablespoon soy sauce (or 1.5 teaspoons soy sauce)
  • 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup
  • 2 to 3 teaspoons of red chili sauce (note that the red chilli sauce is spicy and not sweet)
soy sauce, tomato ketchup and red chili sauce added in a small bowl.

13. Mix the sauces thoroughly to an even mixture and set aside.

sauces mixed well.

14. In another small bowl, take 1 tablespoon cornstarch (cornflour) and 2 tablespoons water. Mix very well and keep aside.

cornstarch mixed in water in another small bowl for making veg manchurian gravy.

Sauté

15. Heat 1 to 1½ tablespoons oil in a pan or wok. Add the below ingredients one by one:

  • 4 tablespoons chopped spring onions (scallions)
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
  • 2 finely chopped green chilies
  • ¼ cup finely chopped capsicum (green bell pepper)

Adding capsicum is optional. You can use toasted sesame oil, sunflower oil or any neutral tasting oil.

chopped spring onions, finely chopped ginger, finely chopped garlic, finely chopped green chilies and finely chopped capsicum added to hot sesame oil in a wok for making veg manchurian gravy.

16. Stir fry on medium heat until the onions turn translucent and are softened.

stir frying ingredients in hot oil for making manchurian gravy.

17. Now, add the prepared sauce mixture.

sauce mixture added to wok for making manchurian gravy.

18. Stir and mix very well.

sauce mixture mixed well with other ingredients for making manchurian gravy.

19. Add 1 to 1¼ cups water.

water added to wok for making manchurian gravy.

20. Let the mixture come to a boil.

sauce simmering for making manchurian gravy.

21. Mix the cornstarch paste again in the bowl (as it settles at the bottom) and then add in the pan.

adding cornstarch paste in the wok for making manchurian gravy.

22. As soon as you add the cornstarch paste, mix very well so that there are no lumps.

cornstarch paste mixed well in the sauce for making manchurian gravy.

23. Continue to stir and mix while the gravy is cooking. Simmer till the gravy thickens and you see a glaze in it. There should be no raw taste of the cornstarch in the sauce.

Cooking sauce or gravy takes about 3 to 4 minutes on medium heat. If the sauce is too thick, then add some water. If it is too thin, then add some cornstarch paste.

cooking manchurian gravy.

24. When the gravy thickens, add ½ teaspoon black pepper powder.

adding black pepper powder to thickened manchurian gravy.

25. Season with a bit of salt. Keep in mind that the soy sauce, chili sauce and tomato ketchup already has salt in it. So, add less salt or as per your taste preferences.

adding salt to manchurian gravy.

26. Add ¼ to ½ teaspoon sugar or more, if required. Mix very well.

adding sugar to manchurian gravy.

Make Manchurian Gravy

27. Then, add the fried vegetable balls and 1 teaspoon rice vinegar or regular vinegar or apple cider vinegar.

fried veg balls and vinegar added to manchurian gravy.

28. Gently stir and coat the fried vegetable balls with the gravy.

fried vegetable balls coated with manchurian gravy.

29. Turn off the heat and add chopped spring onion greens.

chopped spring onion greens added to manchurian gravy.

30. Serve Veg Manchurian Gravy hot garnished with some spring onion greens (scallion greens).

It goes well with veg fried rice or Schezwan fried rice or plain steamed rice or noodles and even bread or roti.

veg manchurian gravy garnished with chopped spring onion greens and served in a black rimmed bowl with chopsticks kept on the left side.

Expert Tips

  1. Vegetables: Make this manchurian with the vegetables you like. But remember that they have to be grated or finely chopped. Chopping the vegetables takes time, so use a food processor to make your work easy.
  2. Sauces: I have used a spicy red chilli sauce in the recipe that adds some heat and pungency. But you could even use sriracha sauce, instead of red chilli sauce.
  3. Flavor Adjustments: Feel free to adjust the seasonings, spices and sauces according to your taste preferences.
  4. Frying Vegetable Balls: Ensure to fry the vegetable balls on medium heat. If they are fried on high heat, then the outside will get cooked and the inside will be uncooked, leaving a doughy taste in the mouth. If they are fried on low heat, they will absorb oil and this will make them oily and soggy.
  5. Consistency of the gravy or sauce: Adjust the consistency of the sauce by adding less or more water. For a thicker sauce, you can add less water and vice versa. If the sauce looks thin, add a bit of cornstarch paste and continue to simmer, until the desired consistency is achieved.

FAQs

What ingredients are typically used in Manchurian Gravy?

The main ingredients for Veg Manchurian Gravy include mixed vegetables (such as cabbage, carrots, bell peppers), all-purpose flour, cornstarch, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, green chilies, tomato ketchup, chili sauce, vinegar, and spring onions.

Spices and seasonings like salt, pepper, and optionally, MSG (monosodium glutamate) are also used to enhance the flavors.

Can Veg Manchurian Gravy be made healthier?

Yes, Manchurian Gravy can be made healthier by baking or air-frying the vegetable balls instead of deep-frying.

Additionally, you can use whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour, and reduce the quantity of oil used in the gravy. Incorporating more vegetables and using low-sodium soy sauce can also make it more nutritious.

Is Manchurian Sauce or Gravy vegan?

Veg Manchurian Sauce can be made vegan by ensuring all the ingredients used are plant-based.

Check the labels of sauces and other packaged ingredients to make sure they do not contain animal-derived products. Most traditional ingredients are naturally vegan, but it’s always good to verify.

What are some variations of Veg Manchurian Gravy?

There are several variations of Manchurian Gravy. Some popular ones include using different vegetables like mushrooms, adding tofu for extra protein or paneer, or incorporating different types of sauces like Schezwan sauce for a spicier kick.

You can also experiment with different seasonings and herbs to create unique flavor profiles.

More Manchurian Recipes To Try!

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manchurian gravy garnished with chopped spring onion greens and served in a black rimmed bowl.

Manchurian Gravy | Veg Manchurian Gravy

Manchurian Gravy is a tasty Indo Chinese preparation of crispy, fried mixed vegetable balls dunked in a spicy, sweet, umami and tangy sauce or gravy. This Veg Manchurian Gravy pairs equally good with a simple noodle dish or even a flavorful fried rice or just a plain simple steamed rice.
4.91 from 111 votes
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Cuisine Indo Chinese
Course Main Course
Diet Vegan
Difficulty Level Moderate
Servings 3
Units

Ingredients

For vegetable balls

  • ½ cup carrot – grated
  • ½ cup cabbage – finely chopped (red or green)
  • ¼ cup green bell pepper – finely chopped (capsicum)
  • ¼ cup spring onions – finely chopped (scallions)
  • ½ teaspoon black peppercorns – freshly crushed or black pepper powder or white pepper powder
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch (cornflour)
  • ½ teaspoon salt or add as per taste
  • oil – as required, for shallow or deep frying – sunflower oil or any neutral tasting oil

For corn starch or cornflour paste

  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch (known as cornflour outside india)
  • 2 tablespoons water

For gravy or sauce

  • 1 to 1.5 tablespoons oil – toasted sesame oil or sunflower oil or any neutral tasting oil
  • ¼ cup spring onion whites – chopped (scallion whites) or ¼ cup finely chopped onions
  • 1 tablespoon ginger – finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon garlic – finely chopped
  • 2 green chillies – finely chopped
  • ¼ cup capsicum – finely chopped (green bell pepper), optional
  • 1 tablespoon celery – finely chopped, optional
  • ½ tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup
  • 2 to 3 teaspoons red chilli sauce (spicy and not sweet)
  • 1 teaspoon rice vinegar or regular white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
  • 1 to 1.25 cups water or vegetable stock
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper powder or freshly crushed black pepper or ground white pepper powder
  • salt to taste
  • ¼ to ½ teaspoon raw sugar or white sugar, add as required
  • 1 tablespoon spring onion greens (scallion greens), for garnishing

Instructions
 

Making vegetable balls

  • Take the finely chopped or grated veggies in a bowl. 
  • Next add the dry ingredients – cornstarch, all-purpose flour, black pepper and salt.
  • Mix and gather the whole mixture together. Then kind of mix and knead so that the veggies leave water and you get a dough-like mixture.
    But do not knead like that a bread or roti dough. Gluten strands can form that will give a dense chewy texture in the fried veggie balls.
    So just mix very well and press so that the veggies release their juices. 
  • Then take a small portion of the mixture in your hands.
  • Press and roll it in your palm and make a round veggie ball. You can spread some oil on your palms while making the vegetable balls.
  • Make all veggie balls this way and set aside.

Frying veggie balls

  • Heat oil for deep frying in a kadai or pan. Add a small piece of a ball to the hot oil. If the balls does not stick or settle down at the bottom of the pan, but comes up steadily the oil is ready for frying these veg manchurian balls.
    If the ball breaks, then some more binding agent is required. So you can add 2 to 3 teaspoons of some more all-purpose flour.
  • Gently place the balls in the hot oil. The oil has to be medium hot. Too much heat and the manchurian balls will be browned from top and uncooked from inside. Less hot oil will make the balls absorb too much of oil.
  • When cooked from one side and light golden or golden, turn the balls with a slotted spoon.
  • Fry the balls till crisp and golden turning over as needed for even cooking.
  • Remove them with a slotted or perforated spoon and drain as much as oil as possible.
  • Place the fried veg manchurian balls on kitchen paper towels.
  • Fry the veg manchurian balls this way in batches and keep aside.

Making sauce or gravy

  • In a small bowl take the following three sauces – soy sauce, tomato ketchup and red chilli sauce.
  • Mix the sauces very well and set aside.
  • In another small bowl take 1 tablespoon cornflour and 2 tablespoons water. Mix very well and set aside.
  • Heat 1 to 1.5 tablespoons oil in a pan or wok.
  • Add the chopped spring onions, finely chopped ginger, finely chopped garlic, finely chopped green chilies and finely chopped capsicum.
  • Stir fry on medium flame till the onions turn translucent.
  • Now add the mixed sauces. Stir and mix very well.
  • Add 1 to 1.25 cups water. Let the mixture come to a boil.
  • Mix the cornflour paste again in the bowl (as the cornflour settles at the bottom) and then add in the pan.
  • As soon as you add cornflour paste, mix very well so that there are no lumps.
  • Continue to stir and mix when the veg manchurian gravy is cooking. Simmer till the sauce thickens and you see a glaze in it.
  • There should be no raw taste of the cornflour in the sauce. Cooking sauce or gravy takes about 3 to 4 minutes on a medium heat.
    If the sauce is too thick, then you add some water. If it is too thin, then you can add some cornflour.
  • When the veg manchurian sauce thickens, add ½ teaspoon black pepper powder.
  • Season with a bit of salt. Do keep in mind that the soy sauce, chilli sauce and tomato ketchup already has salt in it. So add less salt and as per your taste preferences.
  • Add ¼ to ½ teaspoon sugar. Mix very well.
  • Then add the fried veg manchurian balls. Also add 1 teaspoon of rice vinegar or regular vinegar or apple cider vinegar. 
  • Gently stir and coat the veg manchurian balls in the gravy.
  • Turn off the heat add chopped spring onion greens.
  • Serve Veg Manchurian Gravy hot garnished with some spring onion greens. This Manchurian Gravy pairs well with veg fried rice, plain steamed rice and even bread or the chapati or roti.

Video

Notes

  1. Consistency: The best part of most Indian-Chinese recipes is you can change the consistency as per your liking. If you want a thin consistency, add some veg broth or water. If you want a thick consistency, add a few teaspoons of cornflour paste. This dish thickens after it cools down. So when reheating you may have to add some water.
  2. Ajinomoto (MSG): I have not added any msg to the recipe. If you want a more restaurant style effect, you can do so. But a word of caution – msg or mono sodium glutamate is not good for the health.
  3. Frying: Remember to fry the veg manchurian balls on medium heat. If they are fried on a high heat, then the outside will get cooked and the inside will be not cooked leaving a doughy taste in the mouth. If they are fried on a low heat, they will absorb oil and this will make them oily and soggy.
  4. Sugar: I like the sweet sour taste of Indo Chinese food and hence I have added raw sugar to the recipe. You can use any other sweetener like palm sugar or coconut sugar instead of sugar. 
  5. Soy Sauce: Use naturally fermented soy sauce. The soy sauce I use does not have any sugar added to it. You may avoid this or check the ingredients list in your soy sauce if sugar is there in it or not.
  6. Non-fried veggie balls: For a low-fat version, you can cook the veggie balls in an appe-appam pan or æbleskiver pan. You could also try to air-fry the veggie balls in an air-fry
  7. Vegetable Customizations: Adding capsicum to the gravy or sauce is optional. Opt to add vegetables that you like while making the veggie balls. But do ensure that these veggies are not watery or full of juices like some gourds or zucchini. 

Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)

Nutrition Facts
Manchurian Gravy | Veg Manchurian Gravy
Amount Per Serving
Calories 224 Calories from Fat 126
% Daily Value*
Fat 14g22%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 12g
Sodium 1162mg51%
Potassium 268mg8%
Carbohydrates 23g8%
Fiber 4g17%
Sugar 6g7%
Protein 2g4%
Vitamin A 4263IU85%
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 0.1mg7%
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 0.1mg6%
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 1mg5%
Vitamin B6 0.2mg10%
Vitamin C 40mg48%
Vitamin E 6mg40%
Vitamin K 56µg53%
Calcium 44mg4%
Vitamin B9 (Folate) 40µg10%
Iron 1mg6%
Magnesium 19mg5%
Phosphorus 44mg4%
Zinc 0.3mg2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

This Manchurian Gravy recipe from the archives was first published on May 2012. It has been updated and republished on June 2024.

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Welcome to Dassana's Veg Recipes. I share vegetarian recipes from India & around the World. Having been cooking for decades and with a professional background in cooking & baking, I help you to make your cooking journey easier with my tried and tested recipes showcased with step by step photos & plenty of tips & suggestions.

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257 Comments

  1. I’ve made it a few times for people, and everyone likes it. Would be nice if someone would make these for me too, since it takes a while to make.5 stars

  2. Hi

    Can I skip all purpose flour as I am coeliac and cant have gluten? Or if you can suggest replacement please

    Thanks
    Kanwal

  3. Ma’am i read the recipe & looks so mouth watering
    I’ll try it soon .
    thanks a lott & i m a big fan your recipes5 stars

  4. Hello Ma’am,

    We are a big fan of your delicious and easy to follow recipes. Five stars all the way. Thanks a lot and keep up the good work. Just a quick feedback comment, when we update the number of serves then the quantity of ingredients is getting updated in the ingredients list but they are not getting updated in the “How to make…” steps. Would really appreciate if these could be auto updated according to the number of serves.5 stars

    1. thanks a lot neel. the program that we are using has this feature enabled only in the ingredient list and not in the instructions. there is nothing we can do about this. it is just inbuilt in the program this way. thanks for the suggestion though.

  5. Hello mam
    Too good home made recipe of veg manchuria. Your way of step wise explanation with images is superb ????????5 stars

  6. Hello mam,
    I have tried it today only… Wow superb taste… My little one liked it very much.. Without Ajino moto homemade manchurian for kids healthy option.. Thanks a lot.. Keep it up mam… All the best.

    1. Welcome Nayana. Glad to know that you liked the manchurian recipe. Thanks for your kind words.

  7. Hi,
    I tried this recipe today and it turned out awsome but the gravy became spicy. Is there any way to rescue it?
    Thanks !

    1. you can add some sweet sauce like tomato ketchup or sweet chili sauce to balance the spiciness. some more water can also be added.

  8. Hi I wanted to try this recipe. Could you please tell me which brand of naturally fermented soya sauce to buy

    1. pragya, add celery, when you add the ginger, green chilies and garlic. i will also update in the post.

  9. Great recipe, Dassana.

    My cooking has improved a lot becos of of you!

    I m looking for a stuffed potato gravy recipe which I can serve guests.. can you refer me to one? (Nothing too complicated!)5 stars

    1. thanks priya. you can stuff the potatoes with a mixture of paneer, khoya-mawa (optional) and chopped dry fruits like cashews, almonds, raisins. spices you can add is some chili powder and garam masala powder. you will need to half-boil the potatoes. scoop out the center part. then grate or finely chop and use these gratings in the stuffing.

      for the gravy base, you can use the malai-kofta gravy base, aloo kofta gravy or paneer lababdar gravy base. all three i have shared on website. while making gravy, sauté the masala. add water and mix well. place the stuffed potatoes. cover with a lid and simmer on a low flame till the potatoes are done.

  10. Hi
    You have such a good collection,
    I have tried many of your recipes and they are fabulous 🙂
    Thank you for all the hard work for all of us.
    For this recipe I have a question – how many manchurian balls are made from the ingredients you have specified above?
    I have to make for 20 people and thinking to prepare 40-50 manchurian balls. And what should be the ratio of maida and corn flour?5 stars

    1. thanks dimple. you will get 14 to 15 balls if using a 250 ml cup for the veggies. maida and corn flour can be 1:1 ratio. but don’t take it a standard as you can add more or less of both maida and corn starch if the moisture content is veggies is too high. to make 40 to 50 manchurian balls, you can triple the recipe.

  11. Ur recipes are wonderful. I always look for Ur recipes as they r so simple n easy to understand. U doin grt work.5 stars

  12. I almost tried more than ???? recipes
    from vegrecipesofindia and I get compliment every time from my parents and its the best place for passionate cook, a million thanks to vegrecipesofindia ❤❤❤:-)5 stars

    1. Welcome Ajay. Thanks for sharing this awesome feedback on recipes. Glad to read your positive feedback.

  13. Just made this for an early morning breakfast. This recipe is amazing! It has the soy flavors that I love from Chinese cooking combined with the heat and deep flavor I love from Indian cooking. I can’t wait to make this again 😀5 stars

  14. Veg recipes of India are a total life savour. The dish turns out really well from your recipes. I have got this site on my bookmarks and pictures really help to ensure the colour and appeal. So thankyou for your hard work making our life simpler.4 stars

  15. Hi there.. huge fan of ur cooking.. hv a ques regarding this recipe.. can i make veg manchurian balls a day before nd store them in fridge..?

    1. yes you can do this way neet. and thank you ????
      in case if they veg balls become too wet due to keeping them for some hours, then just dust them in some maida/corn starch and then fry.

  16. The best chef. Sanjeev kapoor and other celebrities chefs should learn from you. I first search the recipe with your name.

  17. Hi there!
    I often check out your website for ideas, the vegan banana bread is just a staple in my cooking now and everybody loves it!
    I want to try the muncharian and I was wondering if it was better to use cornstarch or cornflour as they seem to be different?
    Thank you. Aurelie

    1. thanks aurelie. in india we call corn starch as corn flour. so you have to use corn starch as it helps in binding.

  18. I really like your restaurant style recipe, i have cooked many recipe of your and i liked step by step images makes easy for cooking. keep sharing recipe every day.

  19. I love you recipes. I’ve been trying all ur recipes and all are amazing. Veg manchurian is on of my favorite recipe of yours. After my 10th board exam ; in my holidays i almost tried every recipes of urs all were fab and now im in 12th and im waiting for my 12th board exam to get over asap so that i would try more recipes. Thanks for sharing your recipes.5 stars

    1. Thanks Ashwarya. Thats so sweet feedback from you. Wish you all the best for your board exams. I must say you are making good use of your vacation.

  20. hi....can i make this recepie evening before to take for next day lunch at work?? as we are having potluk lunch at work. says:

    hi…can i make this recepie evening before to take to work for next day lunch time??as we are having potluk lunch at work!!!

    1. you can do so. but do not mix both the gravy and manchurian until you are ready to pack. just before packing, you can mix.

  21. Hi, I laughed when I read your words ” thank god” because that’s exactly what I feel when a veg ball does not break on deep frying. Mine came out perfect. This recipe is a keeper! Thanks a lot. I’m off now to try your malai kofta recipe with high hopes.5 stars

  22. Hai dassanna, i’m ur fan. I like ur recipes very much.i tried it.it came very well. Today i tried jeera rice n veg manchurian. It came very well.thank u.i suggest ur recipe to my friends n relatives.thank u once again.5 stars

  23. Hi dasanna, i always like ur recipes. They r too good. But i have one question. I need ur suggestion. Pls help.

    Actually i am planning to buy a food processor for the first time in my life and i dont know whether to buy bajaj or philips or any other. I did many research till now but still confused. I liked fx11 of bajaj but not sure abt its quality. If u know then pls share ur experience or any other’s experience whom u know. Pls suggest a good processor if u know any or u recommend any. Pls help…. and pls reply as soon as possible. .. i want all the features like juicer mixer and processor in it. So pls suggest any accordingly

    1. thanks payal. i used to use a food processor first. i do not remember its name, but it was an indian brand. but it broke down and after that i never brought a food processor. i feel too many blades, too many attachments etc take a lot of place in the kitchen. so i use a good solid knife to chop all veggies. i do not have much experience with food processors. i have lately ordered for a food chopper from kitchenaid. let me see how it works. thus i am afraid i cannot guide or help you in this matter.

    1. dimpi, you can skip vinegar. you can also add vinegar. vinegar gives a taste of sourness in the dish. if you do not like the taste of vinegar, then you can skip it.

  24. Thanks for posting this recipe. My first attempt came out really well, and was very much close to what we get in the restaurants.. More importantly, my wife loved it 🙂 ..

  25. Thank you for such lovely recipe…in my first ever attempt at manchurian , its amazing..i am waiting to try it again for my friends and family..thank you so much..

    1. welcome shruti and thankyou for your positive feedback 🙂 glad you liked the veg manchurian from our food blog.

  26. mam ,
    your recipe was indeed very good
    but i have faced some problems with the manchurian balls
    their wasnt enough binding inspite of keep it for a good 20 mins, so i had to add bread crumbs to rectify it.
    still thanks for a wonderful recipe 🙂

    1. thanks saloni. depending on the moisture/water content in the veggies, the amount of binding agent can be added less or more. your decision of adding bread crumbs is a good idea. even some more corn starch added could have helped.

  27. I’m trying to make them low fat. If I pan fry in just a little oil will they still turn out? How about if I bake them instead?

  28. Hello, mam i have triedur recipies n everytime it comes out great., ur cooking is so simple n it tastes very natural n tasty ,, not so much of extra spices not such heavy,, very well combination of ingridients ..
    Todayi tried veg manchurian gravy of urs ,, everyone liked n complemented.,
    Credit goes to u mam
    Thankyou so much ..
    Satnaam shree Waheguru saheb jee

    1. thank you sushmeet. feeling nice to read your comment. thanks again.
      satnaam shree waheguru saheb jee.

  29. Mam u made the recipe very easy with the help of photos really it was awesome……. Loved it a lot thank you so much…..5 stars

    1. welcome supriya 🙂 glad you liked the veg manchurian recipe and thankyou for your kind words. you are always welcome.

  30. Dear mam very thank u for u r veg Manchurian recipe which is very easy and explain in very simple manner.I wil try today and let u know how it was.
    You r submitted this information with very kind heart .we always pray for u r happiness.

    1. thankyou so much virendra 🙂 for your positive and encouraging words. glad you liked the veg manchurian recipe god bless you.

    1. veg stock is the broth in which veggies are cooked. most restaurant use veggie stock, which they add to soups and gravies.

  31. hlo mam …. can i subsitute corn flour with just flour ..
    and i like the way u explain…keep up the good work 🙂

  32. Instead of deep frying the balls, u can roast it in appa patra (it’s a spl kadhi with small ball like indentations for making appe). It will not break nor absorb oil.4 stars

  33. It’s our pleasure to have ur blogs.
    🙂
    Whenever I search for any recipe I wish it has to be there on vegrecipesofindia
    Thnkewww so much for sharing ur experience4 stars

  34. I really like your blog specially the zoomed pictures… it really gives an idea of quantity…cooking after reading blog becomes easy..?thank you…

  35. Very easy and quick recipe… I really like your blog soo much… The way of presenting the recipe making is the best …. I have followed all the instructions and this was the first time I have made perfect balls… So yummy …. Thank you for your wonderful recipes

  36. i m great admirer of your recipes… they are easy, quick to make and even for men like me they are really helpful. best is the pics attached which help to analyse our cooking procedure correctly. this is probably fourth of your recipe which i hav tried and all hav come up great. thank u… will continue to follow ur recipe.

    1. we are pleased to know you like the step by step pictures and glad we could help you 🙂 you are welcome and thankyou for your kind words.

  37. I found it quite simple….otherwise for me cooking is sooo typical task ……..thanx dear…..
    ..

  38. Thank you soo much mam.. i tried this dish under your instructions and it became so delicious. 100 likes for this recipe.5 stars

  39. Vry nicely u hv showd the recipe with image. Evn learnr cn mke easily aftr seen ths.. Ty so much for mkng recipe easy for learnrs lke me who weling to mke nw nw yummy dishes.. Ty

  40. I love your blog. Your recipes are awesome and with photos its even more easy. It really boost my confidence of trying new recipes. I have tried jeera rice and dal fry and even pav bhaji. Today I am going to try veg manchurian and scheswan fried rice. Hope all goes well.5 stars

  41. Is there going to be any difference if i use yellow corn flour instead of white corn flour in veg manchurian recepie…….can we use corn flour as a substitute of corn starch…

    1. parvinder, yes you can use it. yellow corn flour will also help in thickening but the taste will change. yes you can use yellow corn flour as substitute for corn starch. yellow corn flour is healthy.

  42. Hello. Dassana ji liked your recipe very much. I am a chef but i learned some tricks from your recipe thank you5 stars

  43. Hello!!
    I had always adored ur recepies since I started cooking them. They turned out so Gud. I myself cudn believe that I made it.
    I wish if u can add diff cusines to ur site like Indian chinese Thai etc. thst will add variety to it.n I wud love to try them.
    Thanx again

  44. Ohhh wen i come across ur website really it takes atleast 2-3 days to come out from ur blog..all the recipes here are so fantastic and photos r like cream on cake.

  45. I simply love ur blog.. Nd i follow ur recepie a lot…! U made my intrust in cooking live up again thnk u so much.. I just loke ur recipe thy are so easy and d best part is the ingredients are easily available in home or shop…!

  46. Dassana didi you are just rocking…..I love your recipes….I made Chinese food first in my life and my Mom adored them and the credit goes to you. I made many of your recipes and all of them was too good….thanks di…. 🙂5 stars

  47. It s great recipe . I have tried some of u r recipes it s just superb . m still 13 but i luv cooking specially new recipes of urs. i have made some of u r recipes all liked it very much thnks for this cooking website

    n also m gonna make it again5 stars

    1. welcome rashi. its good to know that you are taking active interest in cooking. thanks for sharing your positive feedback.

  48. Amazing receipe…i tried it n it was delicious but the balls were very soft..plz tell how to keep balls crispy?

    1. thanks akanksha. the balls are crisp. you fry them in hot oil then they stay crisp. secondly fry the veg balls till golden in color.

  49. This is really very good.. N so easy to make.. Ty soo much.. Can u plz mail me new new recipes… ?5 stars

    1. thanks urvi. we don’t have email subscription service. you can subscribe to facebook or twitter page to stay updated with latest recipes.

  50. Hello!

    I have tried bunch of your recipes. Some came out great and some not so much but it’s the cook fault not the master chef’s :).

    First I wanted to ask you shall I still try this recipe if I do not have green onions?

    Second, I want to prepare the balls 2 days before the party. I was thinking to fry them and then warming them in oven to give them a crisp before adding them to sauce. What you think? I am going to serve them with Hakka noodles.

    Also, I wanted to let you know that I have the original dum aloo recipe from Kashmir. Actually it’s because I am from that part of india. If you like to try that please let me know and I can email you. The dum aloo from Kashmir use no onions, garlic or fresh ginger.

    Once again, thank you so much for all your hardwork and tasty recipes. You bring india closer to us here in western world.

    1. thanks a lot sohni.
      1. skip the green onions. they do add some flavor and texture. but you can skip them. i also do that. i add regular onions when i don’t have these spring onions.
      2. you can fry the balls before and keep them in the fridge. when warming them in the oven, avoid over doing as it may spoil the texture. or what you can do is in a wok, add a tsp of oil (optional). add the fried balls and roast them till they again become crisp.
      3. the kashmiri dum aloo recipe which i have added does not use onions, garlic and fresh ginger. i got if from a book. but still you can send me. yours will be authentic than the book one. you can email me at vegrecipesofindia(at)gmail(dot)com. (at) is @ and (dot) is . we write this way to avoid spam.

  51. I have tried the above recipe but it didn’t taste as Manchurians we have in restaurants but it looks similar . I love Manchurian so much but always when I tried it at home ,it never tasted as I have ate in restaurants.
    So just wanted to know are there different styles of making it .plea

    1. sakshi, in restaurants they use ajinimoto and sauces like fish sauce or oyster sauce. thats why the difference in taste. homemade does not taste like restaurant one.

  52. I love veg Manchurian. They are really awesomeeeeee. Thanks veg recipes to tell us the recipes.4 stars

  53. i surprised my wife with the dish its so simple and thank god the balls didnt break and thanx to dassana for a detailed and stepwise recipe4 stars

    1. prabh, no you can not. because you have to mash and then add peas. it will be complicated and taste will vary.

  54. Hi dassana,
    I have made many recipes from your blog. The sonth chutney, whole wheat pav, idli using idli rava and the veg manchurian balls too! All were excellent!
    I had earlier attempted veg manchurian balls from another website which were a complete disaster, but made with your method they were perfect!
    Thanks for all the hard work you put in,
    Regards
    Nivedita5 stars

    1. welcome nivedita. big thanks for sharing positive feedback on veg manchurian and on other recipes. keep visiting and trying recipes from the blog.

  55. Hi dassana,
    Its such a pleasure reading ur recipes nd making dem..
    I have prepared many of dem..
    Just wanted to know whether I can use rice flour instead of corn flour and also my Hubby likes more non veg so can I use cooked chicken instead of d veg balls..

  56. sir
    any alternative for cabbage
    can i use simple onion in place of celery
    what if someone dont use garlic5 stars

    1. ashima, skip cabbage. garlic is required for taste. skip celery but you can not use onions in place of it.

  57. gr8 recipe…can i use maida in place of cornflour while making the sauce for thickness…thnx..

    1. maida will give a different texture. it will be more like white sauce kinds. i have never tried. you can try.

    2. why are the veg manchurian, and paneer manchurian different in color. Should they not have the same ingredients for the sauce?

      1. the difference in color is due to the addition of tomato sauce. in veg manchurian, i have not added tomato sauce and in paneer manchurian, i have added tomato sauce.

  58. Hi,
    I am on my family way. Is it safe to use cornflr, soyasauce or vinegar.
    what if I don’t use them? Is there any alternative?

    Thanks

    1. sim, celery has to be used in less amounts. otherwise it will give a very strong flavor to the dish. you can use regular onions instead of spring onions. regular onions are a better alternative than celery.

  59. I tried this recipe but the balls were sticky from inside instead of soft n juicy though frying of balls were absolutely perfect. Due to shortage of cornflour I added more maida than cornflour instead of 1:1 ratio as per u r recipe. does more maida makes any difference?I want soft balls pl help!!!!!

    1. too much of cornflour or maida, will give the veg balls a sticky texture from inside. you could have just tried with the maida mentioned in the recipe and checked to see if with one ball if its breaking or not. if yes, then just a little flour would be alright. i feel too much maida has gone into the mixture and hence the stickiness.

  60. Hi Dassana
    In place of corn flour can one use arrow root flour? will it taste the same? can it be substituted 1 to 1?
    Do you consider arrowroot flour is healthier than corn flour
    Thanks

    1. you can add arrow root flour. the taste will be different. its a better alternative than corn starch.

  61. Hey Dassana, I am a great fan of your receipes and have most of them :).
    Would you tell me how many manchurian balls could you make with above ingredients?

  62. can i use yellow cornflour?? actually i bought yellow cornflour didn’t get the white one.. and do i need to fry or boil the vegetables before making balls? please do rply fast

    1. i have never seen yellow cornstarch. is it cornmeal or cornstarch. in the west cornflour means makkai ka atta whereas in india, cornflour means cornstarch which is white in color. what is used in this recipe is cornstarch and not makkai ka atta. only cornstarch can be used in this recipe. no need to fry or boil the veggies. if you want you can blanch them. if you chop them finely then they get cooked whilst frying.

  63. This looks wonderful and I am so glad to have found your site. I do have a question: when you have cornflour as an ingredient, is it white cornstarch or actual yellow cornflour?

    1. it is the white corn starch. the yellow corn flour is different and in india we call it as maize flour.

  64. thanks dassana, today i hv all ingredients now m going to prepare this, hope for d best as like u
    🙂

  65. This recipe looks incredible. I don’t fry things very often (hot oil is a bit scary to me!) but this makes me want to give it a shot. 🙂

  66. Thanks for sharing. Very authentic and healthy.
    Will try mushroom & veg manchurian today. A million thanks to your hard work. 10/10.

  67. Some how i just got hooked to your cookery blogs today……i do read them often but today its acting like a stress buster for me…..thanks so much dassana….

  68. Your are not only great chef but great clicker as well. Yummy recipe and brillient captures.

  69. mmm I havent had lunch today and by looking at these incredible photos my mouth his filled with water…

  70. I love your step by step method shown here. It looks so delicious! Staying in the States, the one thing I do miss is Indian chinese.

  71. as i told u ..i made it today in the lunch..had it till my ponch filled up completely..paired it up with fried rice..thanks for the recipe Dassana..

  72. This recipe looks great! I am a great fan of soy sauce and i can use it in any stir-fry recipe!. Thanks for all the interesting information.

  73. the information on soy sauce was very useful..the manchurian has been added in my menu for this sunday..and for the broken food processors..really i reminds me of my days when i had to grate all my carrots for gajar halwa..around i kg carrots…when i didnt hv food processor.

  74. Dasanna, this recipe is amazing! I cannot wait to try these out. I am so glad you provided a recipe for the vegetable balls. I needed a good, tried and true recipe 🙂 Thank you!

  75. the pic speak a thousand words…lovely photograph esp the chopsticks and all 🙂 the manchurian looks awesome!

  76. Hi Dassana,

    Sorry to hear about both the broken food processors. But this looks incredible. As a matter of fact my mouth is watering. Your photos are beautiful:)

  77. Thanks dassana. I didn’t know that there was any naturally fermented soy sauce. I have always been uncomfortable cooking chinese because of the chemical soy sauces…its different when one eats out ofcourse:) Willl let you know if I am able to source it from any store in mumbai.

  78. i love love indo chinese foood. i have a food processor but it still doesnt make life simpler..:) i mean grate so many veggies, then make balls( me and making more than 10 balls do not go together) and then fry, make sauce.. phew:)
    yours have came out so prefect. I’d love to puck some up from the screen, so much easier:). i need to make some soon, might bake some to skip standing in the kitchen frying. i dint know anything about soy sauces till some months back. so many small facts that the food industry always manages to fool us with.

    1. hey richa, for me the grating and chopping is too much. there was a time when i would chop all the veggies in the food processor. making balls and frying is alright. i have fried pooris for about 25-30 people once… that was phew for me 🙂

      there are many facts that the food industry does not want the consumers to know. but things are getting exposed now…

  79. Wow, you have put in a lot of hard work in posting this recipe. It is hard to stop in between to take pics while cooking. Yet, you have presented it so well and with great clarity.

    1. thanks family cook. it is not that difficult to take pics while cooking. but it takes a long time to cook than it would have been if i just had to take the pics of the final dish.

  80. Lovely post. Reminded me of a day when I made this for a crowd of about 50 people 🙂

    Loved your chopsticks too. Where did you get it? I am still to try a naturally fermented soy sauce. Thanks for the link.

    1. hey sangeeta, you are great ya. making veg manchurian for 50 people is commendable and shows you are such a pro in cooking.

      i got the chopsticks from fabindia. they had many of these types. you must try the naturally fermented soy sauce. it is way different than the soy sauce we generally use in india.

      1. Hello ..thank you for the recipe..where can I buy naturally fermented soy sauce in india …kindly recommend the brand and link if any…5 stars

        1. tara, i buy from a local super store here. in this recipe, i have used kikkoman naturally fermented soy sauce. you will be able to buy naturally fermented soy sauce from amazon.in. there are some brands which sell this type of sauce. just read all the reviews before buying. you can check other brands as well and their reviews.