Mushroom Manchurian

Ingredients

• 250 gms Button mushrooms
• 3/4 cup Plain flour (maida )
• 1/4 cup Cornflour
• 1/2 tsp Red chilly powder
• 2 Shallots/small onions (crushed )
• 1 tsp Minced garlic
• Salt
• Water - to make a thick batter (I used 1/2 cup minus 1 tbsp)
• Oil (to deep fry)
• 2 tbsp Oil
• 1/2 tbsp Crushed/minced ginger and garlic (each)
• 1 medium Capsicum (cubed)
• 1 big Onion (cubed)
• 2 tbsp Dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Green chilly sauce
• 1/2 tsp Red chilly powder
• 1/4 tsp Pepper powder
• Salt- to taste (be careful, the sauces contain salt, refer notes)
• Spring onion (to garnish)

Instructions

1. 1

   Wash and slice the mushrooms thin and long.

2. 2

   Prepare the batter with the ingredients listed, thick, which resembles dosa/idly batter, in a wide vessel.

3. 3

   Dump the sliced mushrooms into the batter and mix well. Drop small bite sized pieces into hot oil and deep fry until browned, as batches. Keep aside.

4. 4

   Now for the mixing up part; in a broad and wide wok, heat 2 tbsp oil and sauté the onion and capsicum for a couple of minutes. The onions and bell pepper should retain its crispiness and do not let them turn brown.They need to be just translucent. Add minced ginger and garlic and cook for 2-3 mins.

5. 5

   Now add the red chilly powder, soy and chilly sauces along with pepper powder in high flame and mix continuously for a few seconds. Add the fried mushrooms and take the dish off the stove.

6. 6

   Mix it well, allowing the sauces and spices to seep in and did not add any water as I needed the dry version. Served hot garnished with scallions (spring onion greens).

7. 7

   If you prefer a semi dry version;

8. 8

   Add ½ cup of water at the end of stage 5 above along with the fried and cooled mushroom chunks.

9. 9

   Sauté again for 3-4 minutes to absorb excess water of any and switch off fire when it is semi dry/ saucy consistency has reached. Let the pieces be 'a li'l crisp' and not soggy at this stage.Garnish with scallions and serve hot with Indochinese fried rice or noodles.

10. 10

    If you like the gravy version of the same, add some more water, say 1/2 - 3/4 cup more and make it thick by adding a tsp cornflour while you bring it to boil. Simmer for a few minutes and serve hot. Again, see to it that you add a little extra amounts of the sauces and spices as the water dilutes the final taste of the gravy version.