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A close-up of delicious Cabbage Manchurian garnished with spring onions

Spicy Crispy Cabbage Manchurian

This recipe features crispy cabbage balls coated in a spicy and flavorful Manchurian sauce, perfect for an appetizer or a side dish.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 4 people

Equipment

  • large bowl
  • heavy-bottomed pan
  • slotted spoon
  • paper towels
  • large wok or pan

Ingredients
  

For the Cabbage Balls:

  • 3 cups Cabbage finely shredded
  • 1/2 cup All-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup Cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon Ginger-garlic paste
  • 2 Green chilies finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon Soy sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper freshly ground
  • Salt to taste
  • 2-3 tablespoons Water only if needed to bind
  • Oil for deep frying

For the Manchurian Sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons Oil
  • 1 tablespoon Garlic finely minced
  • 1 tablespoon Ginger finely minced
  • 1 Green chilies slit lengthwise
  • 1/2 Onion medium, finely chopped
  • 1/2 Capsicum (bell pepper) diced (any color)
  • 2 tablespoons Soy sauce dark or light, as per preference
  • 1 tablespoon Red chili sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Tomato ketchup
  • 1 teaspoon Rice vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon Sugar
  • 1 tablespoon Cornstarch slurry cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup water
  • 1/2 to 3/4 cup Water or Vegetable broth
  • Spring onion greens for garnish, chopped

Instructions
 

Prepare the Cabbage Balls

  • Combine shredded cabbage, flour, cornstarch, ginger-garlic paste, green chilies, soy sauce, black pepper, and salt in a bowl.
  • Mix thoroughly, adding water sparingly to form a rollable dough.

Form and Fry the Balls

  • Heat oil for deep frying in a heavy-bottomed pan.
  • Drop 1.5-inch cabbage balls into hot oil and fry in batches until golden brown and crispy.
  • Remove fried balls with a slotted spoon and drain excess oil on paper towels.

Start the Sauce

  • In a separate wok, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat.
  • Sauté minced garlic, ginger, and slit green chilies for about 30 seconds until fragrant.

Add Vegetables

  • Add chopped onion and diced capsicum to the wok.
  • Sauté for 2-3 minutes until vegetables soften but remain slightly crunchy.

Build the Flavor Base

  • Pour in soy sauce, red chili sauce, tomato ketchup, rice vinegar, and sugar.
  • Stir well and cook for 1 minute to meld flavors.

Thicken the Sauce

  • Add 1/2 cup water or vegetable broth and bring to a simmer.
  • Stir in the cornstarch slurry slowly and cook for 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens.

Combine and Serve

  • Add the fried cabbage balls to the hot sauce and gently toss to coat evenly.
  • Cook for 1-2 minutes to allow balls to absorb sauce flavor.

Garnish

  • Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with chopped spring onion greens. Serve hot.

Notes

For extra crispiness, you can double fry the cabbage balls. Ensure to drain excess oil after each fry. Adjust spice levels by increasing or decreasing green chilies and red chili sauce.