Baby Corn Manchurian Gravy

Ingredients

For Frying Baby Corn

• 250 grams baby corn
• 2 tablespoons corn flour (corn starch)
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• oil as required for deep frying or shallow frying or pan frying

For Corn Flour Paste

• 2 tablespoons corn flour (corn starch)
• 2 tablespoon water

For Making Gravy or Sauce

• 2 tablespoons oil (toasted sesame oil or sunflower oil)
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped green chillies
• ⅓ cup chopped spring onions (scallions)
• ¼ cup finely chopped capsicum (green bell pepper)
• 2 tablespoons tomato ketchup or add as required
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce or add as required
• ½ tablespoon red chili sauce or sweet red chili sauce or sriracha sauce or add as required
• 2 cups water or add as required
• salt as required
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder
• ½ teaspoon sugar – optional
• ¼ cup chopped spring onion greens (scallion greens)
• ½ teaspoon rice vinegar or white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• some chopped spring onions (scallion greens) for garnish

Steps

Frying Baby Corn

1. Rinse 250 grams baby corn, then cut into 2 to 3 pieces. Small baby corn need not be chopped.
2. Put the chopped baby corn in a mixing bowl and add ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder and ¼ teaspoon salt, or salt to taste.
3. Mix in 2 tablespoons corn flour (corn starch) thoroughly.
4. Heat as much oil as required in a kadai or pan; deep-frying or shallow-frying are both options.
5. Test the oil by adding one piece of baby corn. If it gradually rises to the top, the oil is ready. A piece that stays at the bottom means the oil is not hot enough, so increase the flame. If it rises too quickly, the oil is too hot, so lower the flame.
6. Put in the baby corn pieces and start frying over a medium flame.
7. When the first side is crisp and light golden, turn it over and fry the other side.
8. Flip a couple of times and fry until the pieces are golden and crisp. Lift them out with a slotted spoon.
9. Put them on kitchen paper towels, then continue frying the remaining batches in the same way.

Making Corn Flour Paste

1. Put 2 tablespoons corn flour (corn starch) in a small bowl.
2. Add 2 tablespoon water and mix thoroughly into a smooth paste. Set it aside.

Making Baby Corn Manchurian Gravy

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil (sesame or peanut or sunflower oil) in another pan. Add 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger, 2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic and 1 teaspoon finely chopped green chilies.
2. Sauté over a low flame for one minute or until the raw aroma of both the ginger and garlic disappears.
3. Add ⅓ cup chopped spring onions.
4. Stir-fry for 1 minute over a medium to high flame.
5. Add ¼ cup finely chopped capsicum (green bell pepper) and mix thoroughly.
6. Stir-fry for 2 minutes over a medium to high flame.
7. Lower the flame, then mix in 2 tablespoons tomato ketchup, 1 tablespoon soy sauce and ½ tablespoon red chili sauce or sweet red chili sauce or sriracha sauce thoroughly.
8. Add 2 cups water, using less if a thick gravy or sauce is wanted. Mix well and simmer over a medium to high flame.
9. Bring the water to a boil.
10. Lower the flame. Stir the corn starch paste before adding it, since the corn starch settles at the bottom of the bowl, then add the paste.
11. Mix very well immediately after adding the corn starch paste. If lumps appear, stir and mix with a wired whisk to break them up.
12. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes over a medium to high flame; the sauce or gravy will begin to thicken.
13. Add salt to taste, ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder and ½ teaspoon sugar.
14. Mix thoroughly and taste. Add more salt, pepper, sugar or any of the sauces if required.
15. Add the fried baby corn and give the mixture another mix.
16. Turn off the flame, then add ¼ cup chopped spring onion greens.
17. Finish with ½ teaspoon rice vinegar or white vinegar or apple cider vinegar, then mix well.
18. When serving, garnish the gravy with chopped spring onions.
19. Serve the Baby Corn Manchurian with veg fried rice, burnt garlic fried rice, veg noodles or plain steamed rice. Chapatis or phulkas are also serving options.