My all-time favorite Indo-Chinese vegetarian dish…
Gobi Manchurian is one of the popular Indo-Chinese dishes. It is believed to have been created by the Chinese community living in Kolkata, India, by adapting Chinese cooking techniques and flavors to suit Indian tastes. Over time, Gobi Manchurian has become immensely popular and is now widely available in Indian restaurants and street food stalls.
Gobi Manchurian is known for its sweet, sour, and spicy flavors, along with its crunchy texture. It is often garnished with chopped spring onions, coriander leaves, and sometimes, a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds.
This dish can be enjoyed as an appetizer, snack, or as a main course when served with fried rice or noodles. There are also variations of Gobi Manchurian that use different vegetables such as baby corn, mushrooms, or paneer (Indian cottage cheese) instead of cauliflower.
Overall, Gobi Manchurian is a popular fusion dish that combines the flavors of Indian and Chinese cuisine, offering a delightful combination of textures and tastes.
Gobi Manchurian
Ingredients
- Cauliflower, cut into florets- 1 medium-sized cauliflower
- Oil- enough for frying
To make batter
- All-purpose flour- 1 cup
- Corn starch- 1/4 cup
- Kashmiri chili powder- 1 tsp
- Ginger-garlic paste- 2 tsp
- Salt- 1 tsp
- Water- 1 1/4 cups
For cooking:
- Oil, used for frying cauliflower- 3 tbsp
- Garlic, chopped- 3 cloves
- Ginger, chopped- 2-inch slice
- Green onions, chopped- 1 stalk
- Onion, chopped- 1, medium-sized onion
- Tomato sauce- 1/4 cup
- Chili sauce- 2 tsp
- Soy sauce, low sodium- 2 tbsp
- White vinegar- 1 tsp (optional)
- Ground black pepper- 1/4 tsp
- Corn starch- 1/2 tbsp dissolved in 2 tbsp cold water
- Cilantro, chopped- 1/4 cup
Instruction
- Rinse the cauliflower under running water, and separate the cauliflower into florets.
- Place a large saucepan over medium-heat, add water & 1/2 tsp salt, let water come to a slight boil
- Add the cauliflower florets, cook for 3 minutes till the florets are slightly cooked. Do not overcook the florets.
- Using a slotted spoon, take the florets out of the hot water & transfer them to a kitchen paper towel.
- In a large bowl, combine the above-mentioned ingredients ‘to make batter’, the batter has to be thick.
- Place a frying pan over medium heat, add enough oil for deep frying, let oil turn hot.
- Dip the cauliflower florets in the batter & add to the oil.
- Deep fry the cauliflower florets till they turn golden in color & crispy, transfer to a paper towel and keep them aside.
- Place a saucepan or wok over medium heat.
- Add 3 tbsp of oil used for frying cauliflower.
- Add chopped ginger and garlic to the oil, saute till they turn light golden in color.
- Add green onions, saute for a minute.
- Add the chopped onion, season with 1/2 tsp salt and saute till translucent.
- Add tomato sauce, combine well.
- Add chili sauce, soy sauce & white vinegar; combine well, let cook for a couple of minutes.
- Add ground black pepper, combine well.
- Make cornstarch slurry by combining 1/2 tbsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp cold water, add the slurry to the sauce & combine well.
- Add the fried cauliflower to the sauce and combine with the sauce
- Stir fry for a couple of minutes.
- This is a dry dish, if you prefer more gravy you can add more tomato & soy sauces.
- Garnish with cilantro and mix well.
- Take the pan off the heat.
- Enjoy as an appetizer or as a main dish along with noodles, fried rice, plain rice or with roti.
Gobi Manchurian - Indo Chinese Veggie Dish
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Author: Thas
Serves: 6 People
Ingredients
- Cauliflower, cut into florets- 1, medium-sized
- Oil- enough for frying
To make batter
- All-purpose flour- 1 cup
- Corn starch- ¼ cup
- Kashmiri chili powder- 1 tsp
- Ginger-garlic paste- 2 tsp
- Salt- 1 tsp
- Water- 1¼ cups
For cooking
- Oil, used for frying cauliflower- 3 tbsp
- Garlic, chopped- 3 cloves
- Ginger, chopped- 2-inch slice
- Green onions, chopped- 1 stalk
- Onion, chopped- 1, medium-sized onion
- Tomato sauce- ¼ cup
- Chili sauce- 2 tsp
- Soy sauce, low sodium- 2 tbsp
- White vinegar- 1 tsp (optional)
- Ground black pepper- ¼ tsp
- Corn starch- ½ tbsp dissolved in 2 tbsp cold water
- Cilantro, chopped- ¼ cup
Instructions
- Rinse the cauliflower well under running water, and separate the cauliflower into florets.
- Place a large saucepan over medium-heat, add water & ½ tsp salt, let water come to a slight boil.
- Add the cauliflower florets, cook for 3 minutes till the florets are slightly cooked. Do not overcook the florets.
- Using a slotted spoon, take the florets out of the hot water & transfer them to a kitchen paper towel.
- In a large bowl, combine the above-mentioned ingredients 'to make batter', the batter has to be thick.
- Place a frying pan over medium heat, add enough oil for deep frying, let oil turn hot.
- Dip the cauliflower florets in the batter & add to the oil.
- Deep fry the cauliflower florets till they turn golden in color & crispy, transfer to a paper towel and keep them aside.
- Place a saucepan or wok over medium heat.
- Add 3 tbsp of oil used for frying cauliflower.
- Add chopped ginger and garlic to the oil, saute till they turn light golden in color.
- Add green onions, saute for a minute.
- Add the chopped onion, season with ½ tsp salt and saute till translucent.
- Add tomato sauce, combine well.
- Add chili sauce, soy sauce & white vinegar; combine well, let cook for a couple of minutes.
- Add ground black pepper, combine well.
- Make cornstarch slurry by combining ½ tbsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp cold water, add the slurry to the sauce & combine well.
- Add the fried cauliflower to the sauce and combine with the sauce
- Stir fry for a couple of minutes.
- This is a dry dish, if you prefer more gravy you can add more tomato & soy sauces.
- Garnish with cilantro and mix well.
- Take the pan off the heat & serve in a bowl.
- Enjoy as an appetizer or as a main dish along with noodles, fried rice, plain rice or with roti.
