Chicken Manchurian Recipe

​Ingredients (240 ml cup used):

marination

250 grams boneless chicken (cubes or keema/ mince)
½ of 1 egg white (1 egg white for ½ kg chicken)
⅛ tsp coarsely crushed pepper
1 tsp soya sauce (Prefer naturally brewed)
2 pinches of chili powder
2 tbsp corn flour
1 ½ tbsp rice flour
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
salt little
oil as needed

for manchurian sauce

1 tbsp chopped garlic
½ tbsp chopped ginger
1 medium onion
1 ½ tsp soya sauce
2 tbsp. red chili sauce
1 tsp vinegar
1 cup chicken stock or water
2 tsp corn flour (3 for gravy)
3 tbsp. water to mix with flour
little salt
½ sugar (if red chili sauce has no sugar use ¾)
¾ cup capsicum cubed
few spring onions whites
few spring onion greens

chicken manchurian recipe:

1. Make sure there is no water in the chicken before you use it. You can either use cubes or mince (keema) or finely chopped chicken. I prefer to chop finely and then use. Add the marination ingredients soya sauce, ginger garlic, salt , red chili powder, pepper and mix well. For Chinese recipes, generally no chilli powder is used. But i prefer to use to get a a good color which otherwise is got by food colors in restaurants. An optional step : If your meat is not tender, I suggest soaking your meat in buttermilk for 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator. Drain off completely and then use in the recipe.

2. Add egg white, rice flour and corn flour. 1 egg white works good for half a kg chicken. I used only half of 1 egg white since i used only 250 grams chicken. Do not add more egg otherwise the mixture will turn soggy and will not bind well to make the balls. We will have to use more flour to bind the mixture.

3. Mix everything well and set aside for at least 1 hour.

4. Take small portions of the mixture and make balls. Fry them in hot oil. You may not get round balls, that is just fine. In case you want to make perfect round balls, then you need to reduce egg or add more flour. But that alters the texture of the ball. Egg is used to lock the meat juices and prevents the meat balls from turning dry. A reduction of egg may turn the balls dry and hard.

5. We need to stir often while frying to cook the meat evenly.

6. Transfer all the balls to a kitchen towel. Switch off the stove.

7. Add 2 tsp corn flour to a bowl and mix with ¼ cup water. Stir and set aside.

8. Add vinegar, soya sauce, sugar and red chili sauce to a bowl. You can also add little tomato ketch up. Set this aside as well.

9. We can use the same pan further. Transfer the hot oil to a cup, keep only ½ tbsp oil. Fry chopped garlic ginger till you begin to smell good.

10. Add onions and spring onions and saute till they turn transparent.

11. Add bell peppers, these are optional. If you do not have skip them. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes.

12. Add a bit more of chili powder for the color. Pour the sauces over it. Stir and mix.

13. When the sauces begin to bubble, Stir the corn flour mixture and then pour it to the pan.

14. Pour 1 ¼ cup water and begin to cook. Taste the sauce and adjust if particular taste is needed. This has to be slightly sweet, sour and hot.

15. When the sauce begins to bubble, add the fried balls and spring onions. Toss well to coat them in sauce. Simmer for 5 to 6 minutes, this helps the balls to absorb the flavors. If the sauce becomes very thick, you can add one to 2 tbsp. water and stir. This recipe yields a semi dry chicken manchurian. If you like to have more gravy, just add 1 tsp more of cornflour and ½ cup more water.

Serve right away as a appetizer or as a side to fried rice or hakka noodles or simple veg noodles.