Crisp fried cauliflower tossed in slightly sour, sweet & hot manchurian sauce. It can be served as an appetizer or as a side with noodles or fried rice.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips.
1tablespoonsoya sauce(organic or naturally brewed)(or tamari)
2 to 3tablespoonRed Chilli sauce(or 2 tsps hot sauce, adjust to taste)
1 to 2tablespoontomato ketchup(optional, use if using hot sauce)
½ teaspoonKashmiri red chili powder (or paprika optional)
½tablespoonrice vinegar(I used apple cider vinegar)
1teaspoonsugar(adjust to taste)
saltas needed
3 to 4tablespoonswater
½ to ¾teaspoonblack peppercrushed or ground
⅛teaspoonsalt(adjust to taste)
2tablespoonsspring onion greenschopped for garnish
How to make the recipe
Preparation
Cut gobi to medium size separate florets and add them to 3 cups of slightly hot water (not boiling hot). Rest for 5 mins, discard the water and rinse with cold water. Drain them to a colander.
Spread on a clean cloth or pat dry with paper tissues, to remove excess moisture. You can do this ahead and set aside at room temperature. Any moisture in the gobi will cook it to soft and not crisp.
Heat up the oil for deep frying on a medium heat.
Meanwhile make the batter by adding cornstarch, all-purpose flour, red chilli powder, black pepper and salt to a mixing bowl.
Mix and add water little by little as needed and make a free flowing lump-free batter. The consistency has to be medium and not too thick or very runny. Adjust salt as needed by tasting the batter. (check video)
Add the gobi florets to the batter (in batches), coat them well.
Fry Cauliflower
When the oil turns hot enough, check by dropping a small amount of batter to the hot oil. The batter has to sizzle and rise to the surface without browning. This is the correct temperature.
Pick up each cauliflower floret with a spoon or fingers & gently drop them one by one to the hot oil. The flame has to be medium initially and should be increased slightly as more gobi is added. Avoid disturbing/ stirring them for 1 to 2 minutes, as the coating can easily turn messy.
Reduce the flame to medium and fry until the florets turn golden and crisp. Keep stirring in between for even frying. Remove them with a spider, shaking gently to get rid of the excess oil.
Transfer to a kitchen tissue/paper towel or a steel colander. Repeat the same steps of adding the rest of the cauliflower florets to the batter, coating them well and then frying them in hot oil until crisp. Oil should be medium hot and not smoking hot, before you fry the next batch.
For extra crisp gobi manchurian, you can also refry the once fried gobi again in oil. I usually do not do it as frying them once is good enough to get very good crisp manchurian with this recipe.
How to Make Gobi Manchurian
Optional: Mix together red chili powder with little water (1 tbsp) to a paste and keep aside. This step is optional and is used mainly for the red color.
Prepare the sauce: Add soya sauce, red chili sauce, tomato ketchup, red chili paste, sugar and vinegar to a small bowl and keep this aside. (for gravy version refer the notes section below).
Heat oil in a wide pan or wok. Add garlic, ginger and green chilies. Saute for a minute or two.
Then add spring onions whites & bell pepper. Saute them on a high flame for 2 mins.
Pour the sauce and water. Mix well and cook stirring until the sauce turns thick. Add black pepper and turn off the heat.
Taste test and adjust the heat and salt levels to your taste. The sauce has to be slightly tangy, sweet & hot. If you want you may add more sauce to preference.
Allow the sauce to cool for 1 to 2 mins. Add the fried cauliflower and stir gently to coat well with the manchurian sauce.
Garnish gobi manchurian with spring onion greens. Serve immediately as a appetizer or as a side with noodles or fried rice.