Chicken Manchurian (NO-deep-fry version)

I have wanted to try this recipe for a long time.....but I never have the correct ingredients when I wished to make it, so this time I tried a bit differently with whatever ingredients, I had in my kitchen. This recipe falls under "Indian-chinese" cuisine, which is quite different from the regular chinese cuisine.

Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts (about 400 gms)
  
• 1 tbsp garlic chopped
• 1 tbsp dark soya sauce
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• 2 green chilies chopped
• 1/2 capsicum chopped (optional)
• 1 onion chopped 
• about half a cup of water (or chicken stock)
• 1 tbsp tomato ketchup
• 1 tsp cornflour
• 3 tsp oil
• coriander/spring onions to garnish

For the marinade:

• 1 tbsp of ginger grated
• 1 tbsp garlic grated
• 2 green chilies chopped finely
• 1 tsp dark soya sauce
• 1 tsp vinegar
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt (If needed)
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp cornflour (optional)

Recipe:

• Wash and clean the chicken breast fillets and dry with kitchen paper.
• Mince them finely with the help of a food processor. (You can use ready to use chicken mince for this recipe too)

• Add all the ingredients of the marinade to the chicken mince and mix well.

• Keep it aside for 30 minutes to 2 hours in the refrigerator.

• Make small balls out of the marinade and place them all in a tray.

• Now heat a wok with a tsp of oil. Stir fry the balls in batches. Try not to use spoons/spatula to move them. Instead shake the pan to shake the balls so that they are cooked evenly and retain their shapes. Keep the heat to medium. After 3-4 minutes of stir frying, the balls will be cooked, increase the heat for a minute and let them brown evenly from all sides. 

• Remove the balls from the wok and drain them on kitchen paper.
• Stir fry the remaining batch, adding a tsp of oil if needed.

• Now, in the same pan, heat another tsp of oil and add chopped garlic and chilies.

• Add chopped onions and capsicum and stir fry for 2-3 minutes till they are cooked.

• Add soya sauce, vinegar, tomato ketchup and cornflour dissolved in water (or chicken stock). Heat the mix for a while till it thickens.

• Add the chicken balls to the mix and toss well, so as the sauce is coated on the chicken balls.

• Garnish with spring onions/coriander and serve hot.

 Quantity:

• Makes about 20 chicken manchurian balls, so about 3-4 servings.

Notes:

• Instead of capsicum and onion, spring onions are used in the original recipe. The spring onion green and the white part. As I didn't have spring onions and I wanted to make this recipe, I used the substitute which tasted totally great.
• You can certainly deep fry the manchurian balls for more authentic taste.
• Also add 1/2 tsp aji-no-moto (MSG) to the gravy.
• Yet, I recommend to try the no-fry version.... :) I feel it is tastier and non-greasy.....!!!