cabbage manchurian rolls – in Indo-Chinese style

When I said Indo-Chinese style, you must have guessed it right, a fusion of Indian and Chinese cuisine, whereby Chinese  dishes are adapted to suit Indian taste, but what about cabbage manchurian ? When it comes to manchurian, gobi, paneer, chicken and fish all lined up in the series of possibilities, delectable no doubt and way different from the real cuisine of Manchuria, a province in China. But who cares ? as long as the combo of soy and tomato sauce works their way round the foods, dishing out the sizzling hot, yummy dishes, no one seems to be complaining  about it.

This recipe of cabbage manchurian is loosely adapted from the popular vegetable manchurian, only difference is that here only cabbage rules, the humble cabbage which many of us dislikes (at least the people around me), and the poor soul found solace in cabbage curry or cabbage paratha, which no one likes to write about it or want to serve on special occasions.

Cabbage rolls needs to be jazzed up a little,  so bring out the tomchi sauce, yes the famous Magi’s tomato chilli sauce….why? because its…different..:) To the cabbage rolls, you can also add some tofu to give it a nice texture or green peas.

This is for all those people, who hates cabbage, try this and you will fall in love with the cabbage once more.

Ingredients:

For cabbage rolls:

Shredded green cabbage : 3-4 cups
Green peas / green capsicum / tofu : 1/2 cup (use any of them)
All purpose flour : 1-2 tbsp for binding the cabbage rolls
Bread crumbs : 1/2 cup
Grated ginger : 1/2 tsp
Salt and pepper to taste

For sauce:

Magi’s Tomchi sauce or any tomato-chilli sauce : 1/2 cup
Light Soy sauce : 2-3 tbsp
Roasted garlic (minced) : 1 tsp
Grated ginger : 1 tbsp
Cumin powder : 1 tsp
Red chilli flakes : 1 tsp or less (depending upon your taste)
Honey : 1 tbsp
Cornstarch (optional) : 1 tbsp to thicken the sauce
Cilantro leaves (chopped) ; 2-3 tsp

Oil for deep frying

Method :

Shred the cabbage and blanch it in hot and salted water for 5 minutes. Cabbage should not get too soft, it should have its crunchy texture. Drain and reserve the shredded cabbage.

If you are using green peas, or green capsicums then blanch them too. Tofu can be added directly to the cabbage.

Now, in a mixing bowl, add the cabbage along with green peas or tofu or green capsicum, add the grated ginger, salt and pepper, mix them properly, add the flour and knead them really well to give a dough like shape. The water from the cabbage will helps to bind the flour together, so no need to add any extra water.

Shape it in form of rolls or cylindrical or cigar shape or any other shape you wish.

Heat enough oil in a deep bottom vessel, coat the cabbage rolls with bread crumbs, and deep fry them till golden brown in color. Cabbage rolls must have a crunchy texture and crispy fried. 

You can serve it as an appetizer / starter or you can coat it with tomato chilly soy sauce to serve it as a side with fried rice or noodles.

For sauce :

Heat one tablespoon of oil in a pan, add the grated ginger, let it fry for couple of minutes,  next add the tomato-chilli sauce (if you do not have this sauce, you can mix good quality of chilli powder, preferably cayenne with regular tomato sauce), followed by soy sauce (if using light soy sauce, then do not use salt in the sauce), mix them well, followed by roasted and minced garlic, continue fry on low heat, add the red chilli flakes and honey to balance the heat. As soon as the flavours starts coming out and the oil starts separating out, add the water, cook for couple of minutes, this will be a clingy sauce, and take off the heat. You can also use cornstarch to thicken the sauce.

Pour a ladle full of sauce over the crispy fried cabbage rolls, garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot as a side with fried rice or hakka noodles. Enjoy !!!

Sharing this recipe of cabbage manchurian rolls with the event:

Serve it fried @ Dennys oh taste n see and Krithis kitchen

Dish it out @ Reva’s Kaarasaaram, event started by Vardhini’s kitchen

If you like this recipe then please consider sharing it and do not forget to send me your feedbacks.

Have a wonderful day

Sukanya