M for Manchurian Chicken

Manchuria is a region in China. Chinese food is one of my favorite cuisines. In my family, whenever there is a small celebration or an outing, one of our favorite food combos are Hakka Chowmein and Chilli Chicken – be it home cooked or ordered from our favorite joints. This combo, I have come to notice, is not restricted to just my family; a lot of my acquaintances feel the same way about Chinese food from which I gather it is an international favorite.

It’s Oriental!

I was in China – Shanghai and Beijing – for a week during which time I tried my hand at various authentic Chinese dishes barring weird stuff. Just like India, different regions of China have different ways of preparing a same dish; again each region has some specialty. For example, the south of China favors use of red chilies (Sichuan pepper) and hence most of their dishes are red hot! I tried one and couldn’t go beyond a few mouthfuls – my tongue was on fire. There are a few staples one of which I loved – string beans! Fried string beans with pieces of meat are a yummy dish!

However, what we know as Chinese food in India differs wildly from actual Chinese food. While I loved the dishes I tried in China, I much prefer our desi Chinese. The dish I am about to mention is one such.

Ingredients:

Chicken – 500 gms., minced

Giger garlic paste – 2 tbsp.

Red Chilli Sauce – 2 tsp.

Soya Sauce – 2 tsp.

Vinegar – 1 tsp.

Egg white – 1

Cornflour – 1.5 tsp.

Salt – to taste

Oil – for deep frying

For gravy

Onions – 2 medium, chopped

Garlic – 2-3 cloves, chopped

Capsicum – ½ medium, chopped

Vinegar – 2 tsp.

Soya Sauce – 1 tbsp.

Ketchup – 2 tbsp.

Salt – to taste

Oil – 1 tbsp

Spring Onions – handful, chopped

Method:

1. Mix the chicken mince with ginger garlic paste, red chilli and soya sauces, vinegar and salt and mix well. Keep aside for 30 minutes.
2. Add the egg white and cornflour to the mince, mix properly.
3. Heat oil in a deep pan. Make balls from the mince and deep fry till golden brown.
4. Remove from oil and drain on absorbent paper. Set aside.
5. The balls will need to be done in batches and take time; meanwhile lets prepare the gravy.
6. Heat oil in a frying pan.
7. Add chopped garlic and fry for a minute until fragrant.
8. Now add chopped onion and capsicum and fry till translucent.
9. Add vinegar, soya sauce, ketchup and salt. Mix well.
10. When the gravy starts to bubble, add the fried balls and mix well. You may add a bit of water just so that there’s enough gravy to coat the balls.
11. Mix for a few minutes, adjust taste and take off the heat.
12. Garnish with spring onions.

Tip: This recipe can be used to make Veg. Manchurian as well. Instead of chicken mince, use a mix of chopped vegetables for the balls and do not use the egg, instead add more flour as a binder.

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It is a little time consuming but gives such a satisfying end result – melt in the mouth chicken balls coated in delicious gravy!

This post was written for Blogchatter A2Z challenge; Day 13 – Letter “M”.