BAKED VEGETABLE MANCHURIAN


BAKED VEGETABLE MANCHURIAN
In the recent years, Manchurian dishes have been creating quite a wave in India. I simply love these Indo-Chinese versions. I also came across so many interesting Manchurian dishes in my friends’ blogs like mushroom Manchurian, shrimp Manchurian etc. My favorite is with cauliflower and mixed vegetables. Here instead of deep-frying the veggies, I baked them in the oven until they were crisp and then added them to the sauce. This baked version tasted the same as the original deep-fried version. We couldn’t find any difference at all.

INGREDIENTS:
Vegetables like carrot, green beans, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, grated, 2 cups.
Cooked brown rice, ½ cup.
Red onion, 1.
Green bell pepper, 1.
All purpose flour, around ½ cup.
Corn flour, 2 tablespoons.
Rice flour, 1 tablespoon.
Chili powder, 2 teaspoons.
Salt as per taste.
Ginger-garlic paste, 1 teaspoon.
Garlic, 2 cloves.
Aji-No-Moto or MSG, 2 teaspoon, (optional).
Soy sauce, 2 tablespoons.
Tomato-garlic sauce or ketchup, 1 tablespoon.
Spring onions, 1 bunch.

PREPARATION:
Wash the vegetables, dry them, and grate them. I used a food processor for this. Mash the rice well and add it the vegetables along with 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, Aji-no-moto, salt, 1 teaspoon of chili powder, 1 teaspoon of ginger-garlic paste and mix everything well. Form small lemon-sized balls out of the mixture and keep them on a plate. Mix 1 tablespoon of corn flour, all purpose flour, rice flour, 1 teaspoon of chili powder, ginger-garlic paste, salt, and Aji-No-Moto along with some water into a smooth paste for dipping the Manchurian balls. The batter should be thick enough to coat them. If needed, a pinch of food color or paprika can also be added to the batter. Take a baking dish and spray the dish with any nonstick cooking spray. Dip the balls in the batter and arrange them on the dish with sufficient space between each finger. Bake them at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes until the Manchurian balls turn golden-brown and crispy on the outside. Remove them from the oven and let them rest for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile cut the green bell peppers and red onions into the long, thin strips and chop the garlic into very small pieces. Mix the remaining 1 tablespoon of the corn flour in 1 cup of water. Heat a pan with some oil. When the oil is hot enough, add the cut green bell peppers, onions and crushed garlic and let them sauté for a minute. Then add 1 teaspoon of chili powder, salt, and tomato-garlic sauce, corn-flour paste, 1 teaspoon of Aji-no-moto, mix everything well and let it cook for 5 more minutes under low flame and switch off the stove. Then add the baked balls into the mixture and mix everything well. Garnish with spring onions on top and serve hot with rice or rotis.

VARIATION: Mashed potatoes can also be added along with the vegetables instead of rice. The Manchurian balls can also be rolled in bread crumbs before baking.

32 comments:

Parita said...

OMG never thought of baking the machurians, this is so much healthy and guilt free!

Laavanya said...

I love manchurians of all kinds too and this baked version is just awesome - hope to try it next time.

Pooja said...

Wow baked munchurian! Healthy n yummy!

Pavithra Elangovan said...

Wow thats a healthy manchurian.. yummo

Vikis Kitchen said...

Book marking this healthy manchurian. wonderful idea da.

Varsha Vipins said...

adding rice is new to me..really one healthy dish Gita..:)

saffronapron.blogspot.com said...

That is a very healthy way of preparing manchurian. Nice one.

Vrinda said...

I lov manchurian..liked ur healthy baked version...

Preety said...

love Manchurian..your recipe seems very different..nice work geeta

Padma said...

Nice way to bake manchurian Gita .. healthier too .... looks delicious ...just entered thru Ann's Blog :)

Malar Gandhi said...

Interesting variation from the usual! Baked sounds kool, addition of rice...novel idea.

Yasmeen said...

Fabulous! I love the the idea of baking,definitely a smart snack for health conscious:)

Manju said...

love indo chinese food and especially manchurians!!

Sweta (My Indian Dietitian) said...

Love the healthy twist to this normally oil-soaked dish!!Good for you Gita :)

Preeti Singh said...

I too love Indo Chinese dishes....too good ides of baking....will surely try...looks too good.

MamaFaMi said...

Baked stuffs are healthier than frying them...

chef and her kitchen said...

Thats a healthy idea dear...Nice n yumm..

Sanghi said...

This is a very different dish to me.. yummy and healthy!

lubnakarim06 said...

Oh wow......baked vegetable balls.....sounds healthy and looks yum...

Priya Suresh said...

Wowow Gita wat a delicious and healthy way to make out manchurian, i never thought to make out my manchuiran as baked version, very creative!

Raks said...

Sounds healthy,looks very nice :)

Nithya Praveen said...

Wow...guilt free dish.Perfect healthy way of cooking....thanks gita...this is a wonderful idea.Looks wonderful

Purva Desai said...

This is one healthy version of Manchurians.....thanks for sharing

Anonymous said...

healthy recipes...

Sunshinemom said...

That is a nice and healthy twist! I love them too but rarely make. Yours looks very tasty!

Anonymous said...

Thank u for ur great support dear!

Valarmathi Sanjeev said...

Wow baked manchurian. Yummy and healthy.

ARUNA said...

this is my mom's favourite Gita!

Poornima Nair said...

Baking them is such an healthy option...great recipe.

Unknown said...

Baked Manchurian interesting yaar great idea looks delicious.

Hari Chandana P said...

OMG...lovely recipe..very innovative.. :)

dark machine said...

i might be the odd guy in this this group being a guy.