Vegetable Manchurian

 

Oh whaat in the hail is goung on?  Those crazy Indian girls have made their way into my kitchen again.  Did I mention that I banned the deep fryer so why am I deep frying now?

Well because I do whatever I want when I want! Ha!  And this seems semi heathly since it's vegetarian, although I don't recommend it if you are on a diet.

These nuggets are so delicious my experimental dinner victim did not even ask "where's the meat?"

Serves 4

Ingredients

Balls:

3 cups shredded cabbage

2 cups grated carrots

1 cup grated zucchini

1 finely chopped red onion

4 minced garlic cloves

1 large green chili, finely chopped

6 Tbsp flour

3 Tbsp corn flour

Salt + Pepper

1 beaten egg

(oil for deep frying)

Sauce:

1 Tbsp oil

2 Tbsp grated ginger

6 grated garlic cloves

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (or chopped green chili, but I had none left)

1/8 cup soy sauce

1/8 cup rice vinegar

1 Tbsp sugar

3 cups whey or vegetable broth

3 Tbsp corn flour (or half of corn starch which I didn't have)

Directions

1.  In a mixing bowl, place all the ingredients for the balls and mix with your hands.  Heat some oil on medium to high heat in a skillet or deep fryer.  Make balls by squeezing some of the mixture in the palm of your hands.  I decided to add an egg that was not in the original recipe because they did not come together well.  You don't want the balls to fall apart in the oil.

 

2.  When they are nice and golden remove from oil and reserve ove some paper towels.  It can take up to 5 minutes.

3.  Make the sauce by heating 1 tbsp oil in a pan.  Add the ginger, garlic, and green chili and cook until the raw smell disappears.
4.  Add the rest of the ingredients except the corn flour and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and let simmer for about 5-10 minutes.
5.  To thicken the sauce, separately dilute the corn flour in some of the liquid, then mix it back in.  Keep simmering and it should thicken to your liking.

Serve the hot balls with sauce poured on top.  I served over rice noodles and garnished with some scallions, but you can do it over rice or even just do it finger food style.

I used the leftover sauce as cold dip for some peeled shrimp oh my... it reminded me of the ginger sauce they have at Kobe's in Rancho Mirage.  I suppose only my fellow desert rats can imagine the comparison.