Craving for the classic kanto-style veggie balls with thick, garlicky Manong sauce? This recipe is perfect for home snacks or small business ideas. Crispy, savory, and street-food authentic!
Filipino Street Food Memories
There’s something special about Filipino street food. It is not fancy or complicated, but it brings a kind of joy that is hard to explain — especially when it’s served in a plastic cup, still hot from the pan, with that thick, flavorful dipping sauce.
This veggie ball is my take on a childhood favorite. I still remember the after-school trips to the street vendor. We’d hand over a few coins and receive a hot cup of veggie balls — freshly fried to golden crispness, soft inside, and smothered in sweet and savory sauce. It wasn’t just a snack, it was an experience.
Why I Wanted to Recreate Veggie ball Recipe
But recreating that memory in my own kitchen wasn’t easy. Honestly, I failed a few times. Some batches turned out too soft and soggy, others were too dry or didn’t hold their shape while frying. The sauce was another challenge — finding the right balance between sweet, salty, garlicky, and thick enough to coat every bite. It took several tries, a few late nights, and a lot of taste tests before I finally got it right.
Ingredients for this Veggie Balls are Simple and accessible
After perfecting the recipe, I’m thrilled to finally share it. I created this version to be simple, affordable, and made from ingredients you likely already have at home. Whether you’re starting a food business or just want a nostalgic treat, this recipe delivers.
This Dish Is More Than Just Food
This dish isn’t just about flavor — it’s about memories, persistence, and the joy of getting it right after getting it wrong. And I hope that when you make it, you’ll feel that same sense of comfort and accomplishment too.
How to Make Street-Style Veggie Balls
In this step, I mix together the dry ingredients, add the liquids, and stir until smooth. This will be the base of our crispy veggie balls
After preparing the flour and seasoning mixture, I added the chopped vegetables, yeast, and baking powder. Mixing everything well was key to getting the right consistency. Once it came together, I let the mixture rest to help develop flavor and structure. Then, it was time to shape and fry the balls until golden and crispy — the aroma during this step always makes me excited!
Now let’s make the flavorful Manong sauce that completes this street food experience. It’s sweet, tangy, garlicky, and loaded with umami—just like the ones served by street vendors. We’ll combine simple pantry ingredients to create this iconic dipping sauce that coats each veggie ball perfectly.
You might also love my No-Bake No-Steam Leche Flan — silky smooth and made without a steamer!
Street-Style Veggie Balls with Manong Sauce
Ingredients
Method
- In a large bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, salt, pepper, egg, fish sauce, liquid seasoning, and water. Mix well until smooth.
- Add instant yeast and baking powder, then stir to combine.
- Fold in grated carrots and chopped spring onions. Mix well.
- Cover the bowl and let it rest for 30 minutes.
- After resting, stir the mixture again to ensure even consistency.
- Heat oil in a deep pan. Scoop and fry spoonful of the batter until golden brown and crispy.
- Drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.
- In a saucepan, combine garlic, onions, light brown sugar, dark brown sugar, soy sauce, water, and liquid seasoning. Mix it well.
- Add corn starch and cassava starch. Mix it until well combined.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring continuously until thickened to your desired consistency.
- Transfer into bowl and let it cool completely.
Video
This recipe isn’t just for snacking—it’s perfect for starting a small food business. Check out this DTI food business resource to help you get started.https://bnrs.dti.gov.ph/