Knorr Manchurian Gravy Mix Review – Quick & Easy

Ready-to-cook mixes reduce the preparation time and eliminate the mess created while arranging different ingredients. Knorr has a vast product line catering from sauces to soup mixes and instant noodles.

Knorr’s Manchurian Gravy is a popular mix under its easy-to-cook product line. Is this gravy mix genuinely easy to cook with? What does our Knorr Manchurian Gravy Mix Review reveal? All of the details are discussed below.

The table below highlights the product details of Knorr Manchurian Gravy Mix that you need to know : 

What are we looking for? We expect this gravy mix to reduce time and effort in the kitchen along with authentic, lip-smacking flavors. Moreover, the cooking instructions should not be complicated to follow. 

To test the Knorr Manchurian Gravy Mix, we set the following parameters: 

1. Taste

What is the point of any instant gravy mix if it’s all convenience and no taste? Nothing! Typically a Manchurian gravy is dominant on garlic and soy. How well does the instant Manchurian gravy mix by Knorr mimic these flavors? Balance of spices and salt were checked too.

2. Texture and Consistency 

Is the gravy thin and flowy or thick and gloopy? Does it thicken with time? 

How well does the gravy coat the Manchurian/protein?

3. Freshness 

Many times, ready-to-mix gravy might taste industrial or artificial. How fresh does the gravy taste?

4.  Convenience 

When we speak of convenience, we looked at two aspects here: 

Instructions:

Are the instructions simple to follow? Does it require adding too many ingredients? Does the pack mention any tips and tricks? 

Cooking Time:

Does this mix reduce time and effort in the kitchen? 

5. Other Observations 

We read the ingredient list to understand what exactly goes in the making of any packaged ‘instant’ food. As mentioned on the pack, this gravy mix has no added preservatives and contains 100% real vegetables. 

We dig in deeper to examine what the thickening agent used. Does it contain any synthetic colors, added flavor, and additives? 

Apart from the above factors, the packaging, price, and shelf life were also considered while reviewing Knorr Manchurian Gravy Mix. 

Related Reading: Knorr Noodles Mast Masala Review

This section highlights the product details, cooking process, main ingredients, pros and cons of Knorr Manchurian Gravy Mix. 

Price, Packaging and Shelf Life

Wrapped in a black pouch pack, Knorr Manchurian Gravy Mix comes for Rs. 50 (55 gm). It offers a shelf life of 12 months from packaging.

Aroma & Appearance

On opening the pack, it released an inviting umami aroma. 

Appearance-wise, the powder is dehydrated and has specs of dehydrated browned onion, dehydrated garlic, and tiny bits of leeks. 

Umami is one of the five basic tastes in addition to sweet, bitter, salty and sour. It has a pleasant savory taste and aroma. 

Main Ingredients 

The ingredients used here are – Corn flour, Sugar, Dehydrated vegetables (onion (10%), garlic (3.6%), leeks (0.5%)), Iodised salt, and Flavor enhancer – 621, and Chillies (chili flakes (2.3%)). 

In addition, it also has dehydrated ginger bits (1.8%), hydrogenated palm oil, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, and acidity regulators – 296. 

It contains permitted natural color and added flavors. 

Do note that this gravy mix contains Monosodium Glutamate (MSG), and is not recommended for infants below 12 months. 

Monosodium glutamate, aka MSG, acts as a flavor enhancer in packaged foods. It is an essential ingredient in Japanese and Chinese cuisines.

Instructions

The back side of the pack mentions clear-cut cooking instructions for preparing the Manchurian balls and Manchurian gravy. Additionally, it also provides a bonus tip for preparing paneer Manchurian. 

These are the exact instructions as mentioned on the pack. 

• Stir fry 2 cups of chopped vegetables (onion, capsicum and spring onion) until they are cooked. 
• In a separate bowl, mix the contents of the mix with 450 ml of water. 
• Add the gravy mix to the vegetables and cook till the sauce thickens.
• Add the manchurian balls to the prepared gravy and cook for another minute.
• Once done, garnish and serve hot.

The instructions are easy to follow and to the point. 

How Did We Test This?

We chose to not make Manchurian balls to test the gravy. Instead we used a mix of staple vegetables like capsicum and onions. The gravy was made as per the instructions given on the pack. Once the vegetables were cooked, we added the powder-water mix and cooked until it began to thicken.

Taste, Freshness & Consistency

Taste-wise, we liked every bit of this gravy. It is addictive and has a very familiar desi touch. Two dominant flavors were detected – garlic and soy. Which is what you expect from a Manchurian gravy. The dehydrated bits of garlic lend a wonderful taste and the soy flavor is very balanced too. 

As we were tasting this without any Manchurian balls/protein, we found the salt levels to be slightly higher. We recommend that you adjust the salt as per your taste once you add the Manchurian balls. The spice levels are medium.

All in all, this gravy tastes authentic and maintains a nice balance between tangy and spicy flavors. 

The consistency was not gloopy. It was just right. There are a couple of points to be noted here. When the gravy mix was prepared we observed that the water proportion was perfect. But it needs to be adjusted accordingly after adding the Manchurian balls in case you require a more flowy gravy. 

Also, once the gravy cools down, it has a tendency to thicken. So you might need to adjust the water proportion if you’re using it later. 

A point of appreciation here is that despite being a packaged gravy mix, the freshness was spot on. It had no off-putting industrial taste unlike most instant gravy mixes.

Considering the ease of preparation, we give brownie points for the convenience factor. It eliminates the hassle of collecting and measuring out ingredients, thus reducing the prep time. 

We Tried Three Variants from ITC All-Purpose Gravies range. Detailed review here.

Here are some interesting FAQs on Knorr Manchurian Gravy Mix.

Knorr’s Manchurian Gravy Mix packs in convenience as it reduces time and effort. This mix is able to replicate the flavor of desi, restaurant-style manchurian at home. The easy to follow instructions are an added plus. 

Will you give this ready gravy mix a try.? Let us know about your views in the section below.

Our reviews are unbiased and all samples used during the reviews were paid for by us. Read our entire ethics statement here.