Few dishes have fascinated me as much as Chicken Manchurian. It is a dish that is unknown outside of India – certainly nobody in China has ever heard of it – but is, nevertheless, possibly the most ordered dish at Chinese restaurants in India.
Indian Chinese food is quite popular among many in India , and many roadside food stalls (carts) or restaurants will often have a dish ending in Manchurian on their menu. This is normally considered to be Chinese food in India , which it is actually not. The Chinese food available in mostly Indian restaurants is Chinese recipes mainly infused with Indian spices and ingredients to make Chinese Indian dish. This Chinese Indian food is quite tasty and yummy compared to the original authentic Chinese bland food available in the authentic Chinese restaurants
For making the chicken Manchurian Marinade:
- 3/4 lbs Bone less chicken (cut into 1 1/2 inch length thin strips.)
- 3 tsp All purpose flour or maida
- 2-3 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
- 1/2 tsp Ajinomoto
- 1/2 tbsp Soya Sauce
- Salt to taste
- Oil for deep frying
Pic Ref: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tsai/4202611920/
For making the Chicken Manchurian Sauce:
- 1 tsp Ginger finely chopped
- 1 tsp Garlic finely chopped
- 2 tsp Green chilies finely chopped
- 5 tbsp Spring onions – finely chopped
- 1/4 tbsp Soya sauce
- 1/2 tsp Chili sauce (optional)
- 1 tbsp Tomato sauce/ketchup (optional)
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper powder
- 1 tsp Sugar
- a pinch of Ajinomoto
- 1/4 cup of Chicken stock (or use Maggi/Knorr Chicken Cubes)
- Maida/All-purpose flour with water (mix 3 tbsp of maida ( flour) & 1/4 cup of water)
- 2 tbsp Oil
- Salt To taste
Directions for making Indian Chicken Manchurian:
- 1. Combine all the ingredients for the Marinade (except oil) and set aside for 1/2 – 1 hour.
- 2. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Deep fry the chicken pieces a few at a time.
- 3. Drain when golden brown and cooked. Keep aside.
- 4. In another pan, heat oil, and then add the chopped ginger, garlic and green chilies and finally some spring onion and sauté for a minute.
- 5. Add the soya sauce, chili sauce/tomato sauce, pepper, sugar, ajinomoto, stock and salt.
- 6. Add little water and bring to a boil. Add the fried chicken and cook for 3 minutes.
- 7. Then add the maida (flour)and water mixture and stir so that no lumps are formed.
- 8. Cook for a few minutes until the mixture thickens slightly.
- 9. Enjoy your Chicken Manchurian. Hope you love this Indian recipe.
Chicken Manchurian is a favorite among many Indians, it is easy to prepare and tasty. Served along side stir fried noodles with vegetables or fragrant jasmine rice, it makes for a delightful meal. A vegetarian version can be made by easily substituting the chicken pieces with cauliflower florets (Gobi Manchurian).
so where does the term Manchurian come from – wikipedia
Manchuria is a historical name given to a vast geographic region in northeast Asia. Depending on the definition of its extent, Manchuria either falls entirely within People’s Republic of China, or is divided between China and Russia. The region is commonly referred to as Northeast China(simplified Chinese: 东北; traditional Chinese: 東北; pinyin: Dōngběi), and historically referred as Guandong (simplified Chinese: 关东; traditional Chinese: 關東; pinyin: guāndōng), which literally means “East of the (Shanhaiguan) Pass/Mountain”.
what is Ajinomoto ?
Monosodium glutamate
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajinomoto
Ajinomoto’s signature product, monosodium glutamate (MSG) seasoning, was first marketed in Japan in 1909, having been discovered and patented by Kikunae Ikeda. The company rapidly expanded to other countries, with Ajinomoto U.S.A., Inc., having been established in 1956.[citation needed] Since then, Ajinomoto has become a conglomerate spreading to other areas, though mostly in the food industry.
Ajinomoto Co., Inc. (味の素株式会社 Ajinomoto Kabushiki-gaisha?) (TYO: 2802), is aJapanese company that produces food seasonings, cooking oils, foods, sweeteners, amino acids and pharmaceuticals. It is the world’s largest producer of aspartame with a 40% market share.[1]
Links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Chinese_cuisine
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Hehehehe, I recall this from our Indian trips. Yes, certainly popular India but does not exist elsewhere. Now exported to Australia ? But actually from the ingredients, its pretty much Chinese, except the 'maida' flour ?