Manchurian is a popular dish that we often find under the ‘Chinese’ section of the menu at restaurants. But did you know that this famous dish actually has desi roots? Yes, Manchurian isn’t an authentic Chinese dish but an Indian creation that was born in Mumbai in 1975! Intrigued? Scroll on to know more about this dish.
The Truth About Manchurian
When we think of Chinese food in India, manchurian is often the first dish that comes to mind! But here’s a surprise—it was not invented in China at all. This crowd-favourite dish was born at the prestigious Cricket Club of India in Mumbai in 1975. Chef Nelson Wang, who used to work at the club at that time whipped up the dish and it went on to become a global hit.
‘Manchurian’ actually means a native or resident of Manchuria, a region in northeast China. The dish, however, has no resemblance to traditional Manchu cuisine or Northeastern Chinese cuisine. While the original dish was prepared with chicken, over the years, vegetarian variants have also become popular. In the veg version, chicken is replaced with cauliflower, and is often called gobi manchurian. Mushroom, baby corn, and veggie ball are also used as the main ingredient to make the dish.
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The Story Behind The Dish
As per many reports, in 1975, a young Nelson Wang was working at Mumbai‘s Cricket Club of India (CCI), catering Chinese food there. He was asked by a customer to cook up something unique, a dish that was not even mentioned in the menu, and Nelson was up for the challenge.
To make manchurian, he started using basic ingredients of an Indian dish–chopped garlic, ginger, and green chilis. After that, he replaced garam masala with some soy sauce, and added some cornstarch and the chicken, and voila–the famous manchurian dish was born.
Now, people enjoy this dish with gravy or sometimes even dry with rice dishes or noodles. How do you like your manchurian? Let us know in the comments.
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Cover Image Courtesy: Canva Pro/Arundhati Sathe