A delicious combination of mixed vegetables and Asian sauces; a bowl of steaming hot Manchow Soup is perfect in every way.
This restaurant style soup is super easy to make in under 30 minutes using the Instant Pot.
Indo-Chinese cuisine is a popular cuisine on our dinner table. From noodles and rice to dumplings, Chinese bhel and different kinds of mains; we love it all.
This cuisine is a combination of Asian bases flavored with Indian spices, seasonings and flavors. What began in the Eastern part of India by the Chinese influence from across the border has now spread throughout the country and we Indians took it all over the world with us.
The dishes in the cuisine are nothing that you would find on Mainland China or even authentic Asian restaurants. These dishes form a cuisine of their own and I promise you it is addictive and loved by anyone who tries it!
Soups are popular in Indo-Chinese cuisine. Hot and Sour soup, Sweet Corn Soup, Wonton Soup and this most amazing Manchow Soup!
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What is Manchow Soup
Manchow Soup is a star of the soups category in the Indo-Chinese cuisine. It is full of vegetables, garlic and ginger all combined in a flavorful soy sauce base. It is full of taste, flavor and slightly spicy and tangy.
Together all these ingredients make a Vegan soup that is greta for winters but can be enjoyed throughout the year! Plus the signature of the recipe is the crispy noodles that we top the soup with.
This soup is believed to have originated in the Eastern Indian state of Meghalaya and is now popular the world over.
It is a popular restaurant order just like Tom Yum Soup and Miso Ramen Soup. Making it at home is an easy way to whip up a restaurant style recipe. And making it in the instant pot further simplifies the process and makes it very quickly.
Why this recipe works
- It is naturally Vegan and can be made gluten-free too.
- The soup is a great way to consume a lot of vegetables in one go.
- This Manchow Soup is savory, tangy and slightly spicy.
- We can easily make the soup ahead of time.
- The recipe is easy to customize based on preferences.
- The soup is great for kids and adults alike.
- The recipe is actually great to freeze as well.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Vegetables: We use a lot of finely diced vegetables in the recipe. I like to add cabbage, mushrooms, carrots, beans and peppers. Plus broccoli, cauliflower, baby corn and red cabbage are popular to add. Pick and choose the vegetables based on taste preferences and availability. Simply dice them all fine so they cook evenly.
- Aromatics: Garlic, ginger, onions and green chili are used in the recipe. These together give the soup a perfect mix of spice and flavor.
- Sauces: The basic Asian sauces are great in the recipe. Dark soy sauce is the one that gives the soup a signature color. Plus, vinegar and red chili sauce for spice and tang. Any brand works, however I like to use Ching's Secret for the perfect balance of flavors.
- Corn Starch: A slurry of corn starch and water is great to thicken the soup. It binds everything well in a thick soup. Skipping this will make the soup watery.
- Seasonings: Salt and pepper are the only other seasoning we need. Remember the sauces have salt already so add accordingly. Moreover, a lot of recipes add MSG. This Chinese salt is okay to use if you like it. I generally never add it in my recipes.
- Water: As we already have so many vegetables, I like to use water in the recipe. However, replace with vegetable stock if you like.
- Sesame oil: Like most Asian recipes, sesame oil is the oil of choice for the recipe. However, regular vegetable oil or even chili oil work well in the recipe.
- Fried Noodles: The signature of this recipe is the fried noodles on top. They can be deep fried hakka noodles. However, I like to add these air fried noodles to the recipe.
See the recipe card for detailed ingredient information, measurements and nutrition.
How to make this recipe
1- Press the sauté button on the Instant Pot. Once it displays hot, add sesame oil. Let it heat for a few seconds.
2- Add the garlic, ginger and green chili.
3- Sauté till the garlic sizzles and loses its raw flavor.
4- Add the red pepper and green onions. Sauté for a couple of minutes.
5- Then tip in the chopped carrots, green beans and mushrooms. Mix well and let them cook for a couple minutes.
6- Season with salt and pepper and mix well.
7- Then add water and stir.
8- Close the Instant Pot lid. Cook on high pressure for 3 minutes with the pressure valve in sealing position. Let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes. Release the remaining pressure.
9- Set the mode to sauté and then mix in the cabbage.
10- Once the soup starts to bubble, add the corn starch mixed with water.
11- Also add the vinegar, soy sauce and chili sauce. Let the soup thicken for a few minutes.
12- Serve topped with fried noodles, cilantro and green onions.
Expert Tips and Notes
- Aromatics: The difference between vegetable soup and manchow soup are the aromatics. So do not skimp on the these at all; especially garlic. Adjust the green chili based on how spicy you like your soup.
- Vegetables: Use firm fresh vegetables for best results. While any vegetable combination works, stay away from mushy vegetables. We want the vegetables to cook but not turn mushy. Tomatoes, squashes etc do not work too well. Brocolli, cauliflower, baby corn and peas can be added. Cut them all of even size so they cook at the same time.
- Dark Soy Sauce: The easiest way to get the signature dark brown color in the recipe is by adding dark soy sauce. Light soy sauce will work but the soup will be lighter in color. Remember this sauce has a lot of salt, so add the rest of the salt with caution.
- Adding protein: I have often had the recipe with some tofu pieces. However, paneer or other proteins will work too.
- Making it gluten-free: The easiest way to make the recipe gluten-free is to replace soy sauce with gluten free version or simply with tamari. Other ingredients are naturally gluten-free.
- Fried Noodles: This is the signature for Manchow soup. Deep fried hakka noodles add a lot of crunch to the recipe. However, I like to stick to these air fried noodles to top. To keep them crunchy, add just before serving.
- Replacing corn starch: The corn starch slurry helps thicken the soup. Add more for a thick version and less for a thin version. Moreover, we can also replace corn starch with arrowroot powder or tapioca starch.
Recipe FAQs
This soup has a lot of vegetables and can also include protein. This makes it on the healthier side. However, traditionally fried noodles make it calorie dense, especially if we add a lot. Simply add a little of the air fried noodles to keep it healthy.
While both the soups are from the Indo-Chinese cuisine, there are two chief differences. Manchow soup uses finely diced vegetables and is topped with fried noodles. On the other hand, Hot and Sour soup has larger vegetables and does not use the fried noodles.
Yes certainly. Either make everything till the corn starch slurry and store. Simply add in the slurry, boil and serve. Alternatively prepare the entire soup and refrigerate once cool. Then, heat through and add more water if required to get the correct consistency.
Yes they are both same. Fine white powder, this dissolves in water and can thicken soups, gravies etc. However, corn meal (maize flour) is a very different ingredient. This will not work for thickening, it is more for making flat breads called makai ki roti or tortilla.
Honestly, it is simply a soup and can be enjoyed any way. However, fried noodles make the recipe what it is. So I would not recommend skipping it.
Serving Suggestions
The recipe pairs well with any Indo-Chinese appetizers, rice, noodles or mains. Make them in a combination that you like best. Here are some favorites to make with Manchow Soup.
More Delicious Warming Soups
Love this recipe? Please leave a star rating in the recipe card below & if you REALLY like it, consider a review in the comments whilst you are there, thanks!
Instant Pot Manchow Soup
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Carrots (diced)
- ¼ cup Green Beans (stringed and chopped)
- ¼ cup Red Pepper (diced)
- ¼ cup Green Onion (diced)
- ¾ cup Cabbage (shredded)
- ½ cup Mushrooms (diced)
- 1 inch Ginger (grated)
- 4-5 cloves Garlic (grated)
- 1-2 Green Chili (diced)
- 2 tablespoon Sesame Oil
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ¾ teaspoon Pepper
- 3 cups Water
- ¼ teaspoon Red Chili Sauce
- 1 teaspoon Vinegar
- 2 teaspoon Soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon Corn Starch
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
- Press the sauté button on the Instant Pot. Once it displays hot, add sesame oil. Let it heat for a few seconds.2 tablespoon Sesame Oil
- Add the aromatics.1 inch Ginger, 4-5 cloves Garlic, 1-2 Green Chili
- Sauté till the garlic sizzles and loses its raw flavor.
- Add the red pepper and green onions. Sauté for a couple of minutes.¼ cup Red Pepper, ¼ cup Green Onion
- Tip in the chopped vegetables. Mix well and let them cook for a couple minutes.¼ cup Carrots, ¼ cup Green Beans, ½ cup Mushrooms
- Season with salt and pepper and add water. Stir it.1 teaspoon Salt, ¾ teaspoon Pepper, 3 cups Water
- Close the Instant Pot lid. Cook on high pressure for 3 minutes with the pressure valve in sealing position.
- Let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes. Release the remaining pressure.
- Set the mode to sauté and add the cabbage. Mix well.¾ cup Cabbage
- Once the soup starts to bubble, add the corn starch mixed with water.2 teaspoon Corn Starch, ¼ cup water
- Then add all the sauces.¼ teaspoon Red Chili Sauce, 1 teaspoon Vinegar, 2 teaspoon Soy sauce
- Let the soup thicken for a few minutes.
- Serve topped with fried noodles, cilantro and green onions.
Video
Notes
- Aromatics: The difference between vegetable soup and manchow soup are the aromatics. So do not skimp on the these at all; especially garlic. Adjust the green chili based on how spicy you like your soup.
- Vegetables: Use firm fresh vegetables for best results. While any vegetable combination works, stay away from mushy vegetables. We want the vegetables to cook but not turn mushy. Tomatoes, squashes etc do not work too well. Brocolli, cauliflower, baby corn and peas can be added. Cut them all of even size so they cook at the same time.
- Dark Soy Sauce: The easiest way to get the signature dark brown color in the recipe is by adding dark soy sauce. Light soy sauce will work but the soup will be lighter in color. Remember this sauce has a lot of salt, so add the rest of the salt with caution.
- Adding protein: I have often had the recipe with some tofu pieces. However, paneer or other proteins will work too.
- Making it gluten-free: The easiest way to make the recipe gluten-free is to replace soy sauce with gluten free version or simply with tamari. Other ingredients are naturally gluten-free.
- Fried Noodles: This is the signature for Manchow soup. Deep fried hakka noodles add a lot of crunch to the recipe. However, I like to stick to these air fried noodles to top. To keep them crunchy, add just before serving.
- Replacing corn starch: The corn starch slurry helps thicken the soup. Add more for a thick version and less for a thin version. Moreover, we can also replace corn starch with arrowroot powder or tapioca starch.
- Instant Pot: Remember to always account for the time needed for the Instant Pot to come to pressure. The cook time listed does not account for this.
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