Chicken Manchurian

- Submitted by Dahlia

(Murg Manchurian, Indian Chinese Manchurian)

The word Manchurian itself makes many of our mouths water. It was a type of preparation introduced by the Chinese chefs in India. The chinese are eaperts in making unique dishes suiting to the taste of each native region. One of the popular dish in the Indian Chinese cuisine is this Chicken Manchurian.

I used to try out many dishes while living in US like the Orange Chicken, Honey Chicken, Sesame Chicken etc.. in Chinese reataurants there. I was surprised that I could not find Chicken Manchurian on the menu. Similarly, in Indian Chinese reataurants you wouldn't find all these American Chinese dishes. The interesting thing is that if you actually go to China, you may come across totally new dishes.

So coming back to our Indo Chinese cuisine, Manchurian is one dish loved by many across India. I have already shared many vegetarian versions like Vegetable Manchurian, Cauliflower Manchurian and Broccoli Manchurian. Chicken Manchurian itself has few different variations depending on the cut of meat used. Some restaurants use boneless skinless chicken breasts to make chicken manchurian while others use minced meat to make chicken balls and add it to the manchurian sauce. Today, I would like to share my homestyle version of Chicken Manchurian. In the place where I live now, getting boneless skinless chicken or minced chicken is not very easy. So I just make chicken manchurian with regular chicken with bones cut into medium sized pieces. It tastes awesome, so be sure to try it. Here is how to make chicken manchurian.

Recipe for Chicken Manchurian

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients

• Chicken - 500 gms (1 lb cut into medium sized pieces)
• Capsicum - 1/2 (sliced - optional)

For the Batter

• Egg - 1
• Cornflour - 2 tbsp
• Plain flour (maida) - 2 tbsp
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Black Pepper Powder - 1 tsp
• Soya Sauce - 2 tsp

For Manchurian Sauce

• Ginger - 2 tbsp (crushed)
• Garlic - 2 tbsp (crushed)
• Green Chili - 1 (finely chopped)
• White Part of Spring Onion or Onion  - 1/4 cup  (finely chopped)
• Red Chili Sauce - 1 tbsp
• Tomato Ketchup - 2 tbsp
• Soy Sauce - 2 tbsp
• Vineger (or Ajinamoto) - 1 tsp
• Oil  - 2 tbsp
• Black Pepper powder - 1 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Spring Onion (Green part) - 3-4 tbsp (chopped for garnish)
• Corn Flour - 1.5 tbsp
• Water -  about 3 cups (depending on sauce needed)

Method

1. Wash the chicken and pat it dry using a paper towel.
2. Take the ingredients to make the batter in a bowl. Mix the chicken pieces with this.
3. Heat oil in a pan and fry the pieces till it turns golden brown. Remove the cooked chicken pieces and leave it in a plate.
4. Heat oil in a wok or frying pan. Add the crushed ginger, garlic, finely chopped chilies and white portion of the spring onions. Saute for few minutes.
5. Add the tomato ketchup, chili sauce, soy sauce and vinegar (or ajinomoto). Add the sliced capsicum.
6. Add the water or chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add required salt and black pepper powder. 
7. Mix the corn flour with about ¼ cup of water. Once it boils, the sauce will start getting thicker.
8. Add the chicken pieces and cook on low heat for 5 minutes. Switch off and garnish with the spring onion greens.

Detailed Steps to Make Chicken Manchurian

Wash the chicken pieces. I usually buy chicken cut into medium sized pieces by the butcher. Remove all the excess wtaer using a paper towel. Take the ingredients to make the batter - the egg, corn flour, maida, salt, pepper powder and soy sauce in a mixing bowl. Mix the chicken pieces with this so that it coats all the pieces very well.

Heat oil in a kadai or pan and fry the pieces till golden brown. Traditionally the chicken pieces are deep fried in oil but I usually shallow fry the chicken.

After 7 minutes of frying on one side, flip the chicken pieces and cook for another 5 minutes.Remove the cooked chicken pieces and leave it in a plate.

Now let’s make the sauce. First mix the corn flour with about ¼ cup of water and keep aside. Heat oil in a wok or frying pan. Add the crushed ginger, garlic, finely chopped chilies and white portion of the spring onions. Saute for few minutes.

Add the tomato ketchup, chili sauce, soy sauce and vinegar (or ajinomoto). If you are adding capsicum, add it at this stage.

Add the water or chicken stock whichever you have on hand. Bring to a boil. Add required salt and black pepper powder. Taste the sauce and add a pinch of sugar if it is too sour.

Finally add the corn flour mixed water. Once it boils, the sauce will start getting thicker. Add the chicken pieces and cook on low heat for 5 minutes.

Switch off and garnish with the chopped green leaves of the spring onion.

Serving Chicken Manchurian

• Chicken manchurian can be served with noodles, fried rice or plain white rice.

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