Mixed vegetable Manchurian

1 medium-sized cabbage
1 medium-sized carrot
8-10 French beans
3 medium-sized spring onions
1 medium-sized capsicum
Salt to taste
¼ cup refined flour (maida)
¼ cup cornstarch
Oil to deep-fry
For the sauce
3 green chillies
1 inch piece ginger
4 – 6 cloves of garlic
2 inch stalk of celery
3 tbsp of cornstarch
2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
½ tsp MSG (optional)
Salt to taste
2½ cups vegetable stock
1 tbsp vinegar

Trim, wash and grate cabbage. Peel, wash and grate carrot. String French beans, wash and finely chop. Wash, trim and finely chop spring onions. Reserve chopped greens for garnish. Wash, halve, deseed and finely chop capsicum. For sauce, remove stems, wash and finely chop green chillies. Peel, wash and finely chop ginger and garlic. Trim, wash and finely chop celery. Blend three tablespoons of cornstarch in one cup of water.

Mix grated cabbage, carrot and chopped French beans in a bowl and thoroughly rub in one teaspoon of salt. Add spring onions, capsicum, refined flour and one-fourth cup of cornstarch. Mix thoroughly. Shape into lemon sized balls.

Heat sufficient oil in a wok and deep-fry vegetable balls in small batches for three to four minutes on medium heat or until golden brown. Drain and remove onto an absorbent paper. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a wok or a pan and stir-fry ginger and garlic briefly. Add celery, green chillies and stir-fry briefly.

Add soy sauce, sugar, MSG (optional) and salt to taste. Stir in vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Stir in blended cornstarch and cook for a couple of minutes or till sauce starts to thicken, stirring continuously. Add fried vegetable balls, vinegar and mix well. Serve hot, garnished with chopped spring onion greens. If you want to serve it dry without sauce, reduce stock to one cup and cornstarch in the sauce to one-and-a-half tablespoons only.