An Indo-Chinese popular vegetarian street food made with shredded cabbage fritters. Vendors make them attractive with the addition of edible red food colour. Served either dry with szechwan sauce, semi-dry coated with a thick sauce or floating in a gravy. I have prepared the fritters by eliminating the food colour and tossing them in a spicy gravy with a touch of sourness. Delicious and tempting, an easy dish to prepare with leftover fresh cabbage.
Cabbage is cheap, stores well and very versatile. It can be used in salad, soups, stir-fries, cooked on its own or in combination with other vegetables, meat and much more. Select one that is bright in colour, heavy, firm and dense with tightly packed crisp leaves. It should be free of any blemishes or discolouration.
Rich in fibre, cabbage aids in digestion. A good source of beta-carotene and improves eye health. Maintains healthy blood pressure and body weight. Contains calcium that is important for bone health. Presence of antioxidants is good for the skin and hair while the anti-cancer compounds help prevent cancer. Lowers cholesterol levels. An economical vegetable that is available all year round.
Cabbage is cheap, stores well and very versatile. It can be used in salad, soups, stir-fries, cooked on its own or in combination with other vegetables, meat and much more. Select one that is bright in colour, heavy, firm and dense with tightly packed crisp leaves. It should be free of any blemishes or discolouration.
Rich in fibre, cabbage aids in digestion. A good source of beta-carotene and improves eye health. Maintains healthy blood pressure and body weight. Contains calcium that is important for bone health. Presence of antioxidants is good for the skin and hair while the anti-cancer compounds help prevent cancer. Lowers cholesterol levels. An economical vegetable that is available all year round.
Cabbage Manchurian
(Serves 6)
Ingredients:
1/2 kg cabbage (shredded)
6 small spicy green chillies (chopped)
2 spring onions (chopped)
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 small piece of ginger (grated)
1/2 teaspoon white pepper powder
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
oil for deep frying
salt
Method:
Wash cabbage in a colander, drain well and season with salt. Set colander over a bowl to drain out any moisture released due to the addition of salt. Squeeze well, transfer cabbage into a bowl with garlic, ginger, green chillies, spring onions, pepper, cornstarch and all-purpose flour. Combine gently without the addition of any water.
Note:
Form into small balls and transfer to a plate. A total of 30 balls formed with the mixture. If unable to form a ball that holds its shape, add more flour.
Heat oil for deep frying on medium-high flame.
When oil is hot enough, fry the cabbage balls in batches until crisp. Do not reduce the flame at all. Using a slotted spoon, turn them around after giving them enough time to cook and firm up. Don’t be too quick to touch or disturb them.
Once ready and cooked all the way through, they will brown evenly with the oil not bubbling and steady. Drain in a sieve set over a bowl.
Keep fried cabbage balls aside and prepare the sauce.
Note:
Sauce
Ingredients:
2 spring onions (chopped, reserve some greens for garnishing)
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 small piece of ginger (grated)
5 small spicy green chillies (chopped)
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon chilli sauce
1 teaspoon white pepper powder
2 cups vegetable stock or water
1/2 vegetable bouillon cube (5 grams)
a pinch of sugar
a handful of coriander leaves (chopped)
2 tablespoons oil
salt (if required)
Slurry
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
Method:
In a wok, heat 2 tablespoons of oil, add spring onions, garlic, ginger and green chillies. When garlic is fragrant, add the vegetable stock or water. Bring to a boil, stir in the soy sauce, chilli sauce, rice vinegar, bouillon cube, pepper and sugar. Mix in the cornstarch slurry to thicken sauce. Then, incorporate the coriander leaves.
Finally just before serving, toss the fried cabbage balls and coat well with the sauce. The gravy may look a lot, but will be absorbed by the cabbage balls.
Remove from heat and garnish with spring onion greens.
Serve hot.
Note:
(Serves 6)
Ingredients:
1/2 kg cabbage (shredded)
6 small spicy green chillies (chopped)
2 spring onions (chopped)
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 small piece of ginger (grated)
1/2 teaspoon white pepper powder
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
oil for deep frying
salt
Method:
Wash cabbage in a colander, drain well and season with salt. Set colander over a bowl to drain out any moisture released due to the addition of salt. Squeeze well, transfer cabbage into a bowl with garlic, ginger, green chillies, spring onions, pepper, cornstarch and all-purpose flour. Combine gently without the addition of any water.
Note:
- If mixture pressed too hard when mixing, more moisture will be released resulting in the addition of more flour.
Form into small balls and transfer to a plate. A total of 30 balls formed with the mixture. If unable to form a ball that holds its shape, add more flour.
Heat oil for deep frying on medium-high flame.
When oil is hot enough, fry the cabbage balls in batches until crisp. Do not reduce the flame at all. Using a slotted spoon, turn them around after giving them enough time to cook and firm up. Don’t be too quick to touch or disturb them.
Once ready and cooked all the way through, they will brown evenly with the oil not bubbling and steady. Drain in a sieve set over a bowl.
Keep fried cabbage balls aside and prepare the sauce.
Note:
- To make mixed vegetable manchurian, reduce the amount of cabbage and include some shredded carrots along with finely chopped green beans.
Sauce
Ingredients:
2 spring onions (chopped, reserve some greens for garnishing)
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 small piece of ginger (grated)
5 small spicy green chillies (chopped)
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon chilli sauce
1 teaspoon white pepper powder
2 cups vegetable stock or water
1/2 vegetable bouillon cube (5 grams)
a pinch of sugar
a handful of coriander leaves (chopped)
2 tablespoons oil
salt (if required)
Slurry
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
Method:
In a wok, heat 2 tablespoons of oil, add spring onions, garlic, ginger and green chillies. When garlic is fragrant, add the vegetable stock or water. Bring to a boil, stir in the soy sauce, chilli sauce, rice vinegar, bouillon cube, pepper and sugar. Mix in the cornstarch slurry to thicken sauce. Then, incorporate the coriander leaves.
Finally just before serving, toss the fried cabbage balls and coat well with the sauce. The gravy may look a lot, but will be absorbed by the cabbage balls.
Remove from heat and garnish with spring onion greens.
Serve hot.
Note:
- No salt used in the sauce.
- If you don’t want to use bouillon cube, season gravy with salt.
- If desired, include pieces of green bell pepper in the gravy.