22 April, 2009

Mushroom Manchurian: Indo-Chinese Delight!

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Mushroom Manchurian, my entry for Click Spring/Autumn

After 4 days of holiday, I am back at work today. Last few days have been wonderful in my neck of woods. Well, it was more than wonderful and in fact, it was glorious when it comes to weather! I know I did mention about not to get too obsessed with weather in my last post but some things can’t be helped!!!


So what did I do in last four days? While hubby dear sat inside and sorted out all the important papers and contracts, I spent most of my time in garden. While golden rays of sun shone on my face, I was waging war with all those weeds that refused to budge an inch. Nevertheless, I succeeded in removing most of them and ended up feeling elated and little back pain.


And not just that, there is more! With slowly but steadily soaring temperature, this year I am determined to grow something other than bunch of coriander and fenugreek. Yes, I have sown few vegetable and herbs. Since I am not that good with green fingers, I chose to grow something that will not take too much of time and are also easy to grow (well, that’s what I have been told by my friends and colleagues!). So, there are tomatoes (vine tomatoes and common ones called gardener’s delight), bell peppers, jalapenos, chilli peppers, spring onions, mint, basil, coriander, and fenugreek leaves are in my list. Next week I am hoping to sow some cucumbers, cress, salad mustard, and radish. I have been hovering over them like mother hen and, keeping my fingers crossed, I hope all of them will survive! Dear readers pray for my little kids and wish me good luck! And also, please leave your suggestions and tips that will help me in my new summer adventure!!!

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Mushroom Manchurian

Coming to recipe part, we have another Indo-Chinese delight today. What we have is Mushroom Manchurian, where delicious mushrooms are coated in spicy batter and deep fried and then served in a sweet and sour garlic and tomato sauce. What a delight it is! Just perfect to serve as a starter or as a side dish along noodles or fried rice and see your guests being bowled over by this sensational Indo-Chinese delight! The first pic is my entry for Click Spring/Autumn hosted by dynamic duo Jai & Bee of Jugalbandi fame and also dear Neha who is guest hosting this month's FIC-Red+Green, a colourful event started by Sunshinemom!

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Ingredients for Mushroom Manchurian

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Mushroom Manchurian (Deep fried Mushrooms coated with spicy batter and served in sweet & sour Garlic & Tomato sauce)
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 20-30 mins
Serves: 4-6
Recipe Level: Medium
Spice Level: Medium to High
Serving Suggestion: As a starter or with any stir fried noodles/rice

Ingredients:
15-20 Closed Cup Mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
Oil for Deep Frying

For Spicy Batter:
1 cup Maida/All Purpose Flour
2 tbsp Corn flour
1 tsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
1-2 tsp Red Chilli Powder (Adjust acc to taste)
½ tsp Black Pepper Powder (Optional)
Salt to taste

For Sweet and Sour Gravy:
4-5 Spring Onions, thinly sliced (Keep green part separate)
1 bulb or 6-8 large cloves of Garlic, thinly sliced
3-4 Green chillies, thinly sliced
½ inch Ginger, crushed and finely chopped
1 large Bell Pepper/Capsicum, cut into ½ inch squares
½ - ¾ cup Tomato Ketchup (Preferably Maggi Hot and Sweet Ketchup)
3 tbsp Sweet Chilli Sauce (Optional)
1-2 tbsp Soya Sauce
¼ tsp Ajinomoto or 1 tsp Maggi Seasoning (Optional)
½ tbsp Corn Flour dissolved in ½ cup of Water
1 tbsp Oil (Preferably Peanut or Sesame Oil or use Vegetable Oil)
Salt to taste
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Mushroom Manchurian

Method:
Take all the ingredients listed for spicy batter in a bowl and add about ¾ -1 cup of water. Mix well making sure there is no lump. This batter should be quite thick and should be of dosa batter consistency. So adjust the water and flour as and when needed. Keep it aside till needed.
Next prepare sweet and sour sauce by heating a tbsp of oil in wok. Add thinly sliced garlic and sauté for a minute till it starts to turn light golden.
Add white parts of spring onion, ginger, and green chillies and sauté on medium heat till onion turns light golden brown in colour, about 1-2 minutes.
Mix in bell pepper pieces and stir fry for 2-3 minutes till its skin starts to wilt. Add in tomato ketchup, sweet chilli sauce, soya sauce, ajinomoto/maggi seasoning and mix well. Reduce the heat and add corn flour dissolved in water slowly. Keep stirring till the sauce starts to thicken. Adjust the seasonings and bring the sauce to gentle boil. Switch off, mix in spring onion greens and keep this gravy aside.
Heat about 2-3 cups of oil in a pan for deep frying. Dip quartered Mushrooms into batter making sure it is coated well and then slowly add them one by one to heated oil. Deep fry these mushrooms in batches, on medium heat, till they turn golden and crisp, about 4-5 minutes per batch. Drain and place them on a plate lined with kitchen towel to absorb excess oil.
Once you have deep fried all the mushrooms, separate them and add them to prepared sweet and sour sauce. Mix them well and serve them immediately, garnished with finely chopped coriander leaves or spring onion greens, as a starter or side dish with Fried Rice or Noodles and enjoy!

63 comments:

  1. Those look mouth watering. Good luck with your green project. I'd like to do some sowing myself this spring, have to see how sucessful I'm going to be.

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  2. best wishes with ur veggie venture and i envy u. oorina nenapavuttu. estu fresh veggies alla.. im also waiting for the rainy season to grow smthng. Guess wat its been pouring from last week so pleasant weather. Nice to know even for u weather is better.

    Yum Yum sia.. mushroom is my all time fav and trust i can empty that whole plate :)

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  3. All the best gardener! I have planted some jalapenos and bell pepper, plan to go get saplings over the weekend. But the weather is really bad, no sign of spring-its still very cold and wet :(. So you pray for me and I will pray for u ok?

    I love this dish! I am not very fond of mushrooms but will have to get it just to try this one! I have made your vegetable balls in sweet and sour sauce long time back they were heavenly, so this would be no different I am sure!

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  4. Hmmm...manchurian looks so inviting, love the pictures :)

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  5. thatz such a delight to watch Sia

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  6. Wow! Sia ...mind blowing pic ...i am drooling all over the pics ...:p

    Thanks sooo much for the recipe :) keep rocking :)

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  7. I don't have green fingers at all, only thing which lives in my place is cactus i think as i don't have to water them :-)
    Manchurian looks so so yummy delicous, i fried once mushrooms and the oil was splattering all over.
    Still once i am going to give this a try.

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  8. Wow.. that looks fabulous! Mouth-watering recipe...

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  9. They look simply delicious, this dish is new to me, I have to try it soon, thanks for sharing this yummy recipe :)

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  10. mouth watering.... your pictures make me hungry irrespective of the time... :(

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  11. Mushroom Manchurian looks delicious..I am also growing methi and basil this year, but the weather is still in 40's here.

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  12. Sia, nothing to make you elated like weeding the garden and planting.

    These mushroom manchurians are definitely are delight.

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  13. Good luck with the garden dear. The tomatoes usually are a no brainer, I have a black thumb and I managed to grow those so yeah, good choice there. The mushroom manchurian looks super yummy! I usually stick with the cauliflower kind but this sounds a like a yummy change.

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  14. hi Sia,
    wishing u luck with ur gardening project dear :)
    My My...the manchurian looks so so bright n good...yummy fininshing with an inviting glaze. Looks very tempting. I love the pics at ur blog.
    TC

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  15. wow they look wonderful! my mouth is watering now.

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  16. Never thought of mushroom manchuria...
    its really yummy!!!

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  17. Manchurian looks yummy Sia.Happy to know you have place to have a veggie garden, i wish i had some place....

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  18. Lovely color..looking delicious sia..

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  19. My mouth is watering at the sight. Please open up a restaurant soon and I will be the permanant customer.

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  20. Sia this looks extremely tempting, did u add some red/orange food colour to it too?to get that lovely orange shade or is it the ketchup??

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  21. This is the perfect mushroom manchurian i have ever seen!

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  22. I make manchurian, the usual gobi or mixed veggie.. but never thought of mushrooms!! how innovative of u. That makes me want to pop all of them in my mouth right now!
    Soma(www.ecurry.com)

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  23. So lovely to find you! We are loving Indian food and will be popping in on you to see what's cooking. Best from Santa Barbara, California.
    http://jeffersonstable.typepad.com/

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  24. Saucy saucy Mushroom Manchurian, color looks very attractive...

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  25. That's a nice way to prepare mushrooms, I hardly ever eat them, but now am tempted to.

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  26. I tasted in restaur , and it looked exactly the same.Gorgeous pict!

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  27. wow, what a delcious treat! looks lovely. Nice combo of colors.

    I also sowed some vegetable plants in my garden and waiting for them to grow.

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  28. The manchurian looks delightful....loved the idea of using mushrooms in manchurian !

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  29. Looks great ya. I am not a fan of mushroom, but A is. So, I guess I ask him to check this post!

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  30. Mushrooms are SV favorite. He loves them in all different forms. Some how I don't like them. Tempting picture

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  31. 3/4 cup ketchup?? wow! that explains the rich red colour! looks absolutely YUM!

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  32. Wow! Lovely color and that glossy look is making me hungry now :)

    Sounds like you had a fun holiday!

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  33. this looks absolutely lip-smacking! Love the colour and the way the sace has so evenly coated the mushrooms. Drooling....

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  34. wow...am I really first to comment?! I have only had gobhi manchurian, but it is one of my all-time favs! And i LOVE mushrooms too..cant wait to try this!

    I have been growing veggies for about 4 years now....if you have any questions feel free to email me!
    erunuevo@hotmail.com

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  35. ALl the best Sia n the manchurian looks yum..:)

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  36. Gr8 going Sia, hope all that u sowed, u shall reap(err i mean veggies ofcourse) and Mother hen ?.....lol....
    Coming to Mushrooms, they are just to die for, loved the colour and texture of the whole dish,and i would prefer it with schezwan triplet rice ,coz i like tht more than simple fried rice.Any Restaurant style recipe for that Chef Sia??

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  37. glorious pics! love the colour:-) wishing i could have a bite...

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  38. Sups,
    Why do you do this to me?? I am 8 months pregnant and craving for Indo Chinese right now, hopped to your website and lo behold your mushroom manchurian is right there mocking me!! Looks absolutely delicious!!

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  39. awesome clicks Sia.....looks absolutely delicious...Goodluck with ur green project.

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  40. Have fun with your greenfingers' project! BTW Manchurian looks delicious! :9 They look colorful too!

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  41. oooooMY GOD look at that, beautiful color and looks so delicious

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  42. wow, can ask for sth else. I had tried mushroom manchurian few days back and was really pleased by the outcome. But it was nth compared to u. Color of the dish comes out really nice. Thanks for the recipe. I'll try again.

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  43. Hi Sia,

    I love Manchurian. This looks yummy. Will try it for sure and let u know how it turned out. Thanks for sharing. Goodluck with ur Green project. I planted Tomatoes and spinach.

    -Athika

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  44. Mmmmmmmm...... Looks Yum!
    But i dont eat mushrooms..... :(
    Will try out with Gobi instead :)

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  45. Sia, i think you should send one of those pics for click spring :)

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  46. Battered and fried mushrooms with a sweet and sour sauce sounds so good!

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  47. hi
    i recently came accross your blog and like your blog. i have also started a foodblog recently.keep up your good work and i wish u a very success.

    cheers
    swethaskitchen.com

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  48. Lovely sia , My favourite in ur plate..I am going to grab it

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  49. Never tried manjurian at home...Itz a tempting picture Sia..I showed it to my hubby, he too was very tempted and said he is feeling hungry after seeing ur pic...Thatz an awesome click dear..Keep rocking..

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  50. Ever since we evolved from mere "diners" into foodies, Hubby and I have all but stopped eating Indo Chinese food. More's the pity since there is something to be said for shocking red hakka noodles and bright orange manchurian.

    BUT every time I go back to Mumbai, I make sure I drop the snob act and dive into a plate Indo chinese food :)

    The manchurian would be just exactly what i would love to have - you have perfected it at home!

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  51. Wow...this looks heavenly! I am drooling just looking at the pics!

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  52. @All, Thank you, friends! :)

    @Bindiya, I don't use any artiicial food colouring in any of my recipes. The colour is mainly due to tomato ketchup in this recipe :)

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  53. Wow,the pic got me craving for mushroom manchuriAN rite now.looks ultra delicious.care to send some my way?

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  54. I need some, Sia!! Looks so yummy! I hope lot more of your home grown veggies here and good luck with the gardening:)

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  55. hi sia,
    I am divya.its looking yummy yummy.

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  56. I loved mushroom manchurian...!

    Very beautiful presentation and well explained recipe. I am going to try it this weekend. Thanks for sharing your recipe.

    Sonia@onecreativekitchen.blogspot.com

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  57. lovely presentation and recipe !!!!!


    I am going to try it this weekend !

    Sonia@onecreativekitchen.blogspot.com

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  58. now its time for chili paneer recipe..do its made in quite same procedure.

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  59. Thank you for the recipe. I didn't had enough mushrooms so added some bell peppers & broccoli. It was very tasty with fried rice. My family enjoyed it.

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  60. @Binal, that's wonderful! I am sure the broccoli and bell peppers must have tasted good :)You can try baby corn, cauliflowers or paneer too and follow the same recipe.

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