Gobi Manchurian is a popular Indo-Chinese dish with deep-fried cauliflower florets tossed in a spicy and tangy sauce. In this recipe, we will be making a delicious and crispy Gobi Manchurian that can be enjoyed as an appetizer or a main dish. The batter used in this recipe is made with a combination of corn starch and all-purpose flour, along with ginger-garlic paste, and red chili powder.
The dish is believed to have originated in India, where it has become a staple in Indian-Chinese cuisine. It first made in the Indian state of West Bengal and it was a hit in local Chinese restaurants. This dish is apparently said to have been created by a Chinese chef working in India, who modified the traditional Chinese dish, Manchurian, to suit the Indian palate. Therefore, the dish quickly became popular in other parts of India and eventually became a staple in Indian-Chinese cuisine.
Although it is traditionally made with cauliflower florets which are first deep fried, it is then sautéed with a variety of vegetables, and a spicy sauce is added to make it saucy and flavorful. It can be enjoyed as a starter or as a side dish with Fried Rice, Noodles, or even with Indian Bread.
What is Gobi Manchurian?
The popularity of Manchurian dishes, whether it be Indo-Chinese or street food, is undeniable. It’s a highly requested dish among food lovers and never fails to impress with its unique blend of flavors and texture. The dish is made with crispy, deep-fried vegetable fritters that are then stir-fried with a flavorful Manchurian sauce.
Within the Manchurian spectrum, the dry gobi Manchurian recipe stands out as the most popular and sought-after dish. The crispy exterior of the fried cauliflower fritters pairs perfectly with the spicy and tangy sauce, creating a harmonious blend of textures and flavors. The dish is a perfect balance of heat and tang, making it an irresistible option for anyone looking for a delicious and satisfying meal. Whether it’s served as an appetizer or main dish, the dry gobi Manchurian is sure to impress and leave a lasting impression on the taste buds.
How to make Gobi Manchurian?
Gobi Manchurian holds a special place in my heart for various reasons. It is a dish that reminds me of a special occasion or event, and a favourite dish that brings comfort and happiness. Alternatively, it’s a dish that I enjoy cooking and sharing with friends and family. Moreover, it’s a unique blend of flavours that I find irresistible. Whatever the reason, this dish is a special dish to me and holds a special place in my taste buds. I hope this dish helps you create new memories and explore new flavours in this journey of cooking consciously. Let’s dive in.
Gobi Manchurian: Step-by-step recipe
Clean and cut the cauliflower into medium-sized florets. If you see any insects or worms, then add the florets into the hot water with some salt for a few minutes to blanch the cauliflowers. Discard the water and drain completely.
In a large bowl, add the cauliflower florets. Add cornstarch, all-purpose flour, and ginger-garlic paste. Add red chilli powder, salt, and pepper.
Toss to coat and heat oil in a pan. Once the oil is hot, gently slide the florets one by one and deep fry them till crispy and golden in colour on medium heat.
Note: Also, fry the florets in batches, do not overload, just add 7-8 florets at a time.
Keep the florets aside. In a separate pan, heat oil, add in garlic, and ginger, and saute for 20 secs. Furthermore, add onion and bell pepper. Stir fry for 30-90 secs on high heat.
Mix soy sauce, red sauce and sriracha sauce in a bowl and add it to the pan.
Finally, add the cornstarch slurry, let the sauce thicken and then add the fried cauliflower florets, and salt (if required), and give a quick toss till the sauce coats the pieces.
Garnish with scallions and sesame seeds.
And there you go. Crispy fried cauliflower florets stir-fried in a spicy and tangy sauce, this dish is the perfect balance of crunch and flavour. Do try this recipe out and let me know in the comments what your verdict is. This is a simple version of the original Gobi Manchurian. Follow @beextravegant for more plant-based recipes.
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Gobi Manchurian
Ingredients
Crispy Cauliflower Florets
- 2 – 2.5 cups cauliflower cut in florets about 20 -22 florets
- ⅓ cup All purpose flour maida
- ¼ cup corn starch
- 2 teaspoon ginger garlic paste minced ginger and garlic
- 2 teaspoon red chilli powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- water as required
Manchurian Sauce
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon ginger minced
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- ¼ cup bell pepper green bell pepper
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Red chilli sauce
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha Sauce
- 2 tablespoon coriander/cilantro leaves finely chopped
- salt to taste
- 2 tablespoon Cornstarch (to make a slurry)
- Sesame seeds to garnish
Instructions
- Clean and cut the cauliflower into medium-sized florets. Discard the water and drain completely.
- In a large pot boil enough water (leaving enough space to submerge cauliflower florets) and add salt to it. Blanch the cauliflowers in the salted boiling water for about 8 minutes.
- Drain and dry the cauliflower florets
- In a large bowl, combine cornstarch, all-purpose flour, ginger-garlic paste, red chilli powder, and salt, and pepper. Add water little by little to form a not-too-thick, not-too-thin lump-free batter.
- Add Cauliflower florets into this batter and toss to coat.
- Heat up enough oil in a frying pan. Once the oil is hot, gently slide the florets one by one and deep fry them till crispy and golden in colour on medium heat.
To make Gobhi Manchurian
- Heat oil in a pan till hot, add in garlic, and ginger, and saute for 20 secs. Then, add the green bell pepper. Stir fry on high heat.
- IN a separate bowl, combine soy sauce, red chilli paste and sriracha
- Add cornstarch slurry to this and on low heat and cook until you get a thick sauce of desired consistency.
- Finally, add the fried cauliflower florets, and salt (if required), and give a quick toss till the sauce coats the pieces and serve immediately.
- Garnish with coriander leaves and scallions/spring onions and optionally sesame seeds.
- Serve this crispy gobi Manchurian over rice or fried rice.
Just made this, and it was spectacular. We eyeballed the flour measurement because it’s not listed on the ingredients, but that worked out fine. Looking forward to working this into our usual dinner rotation!
Hi Griffin!
Thank you so much for your positive review. This made my day. I have now added the AP flour quantity, but it’s more of a forgiving ingredient and I usually eyeball it too.
Thanks and have a great day!
Oh yeah, that part is pretty forgiving. I’m so glad you loved it!!!
I’m loving your recipes and such rich descriptions.
Hello! I tried this recipe and made it for my white friends who’ve never tried anything like this before (or just indian food in general), and they loved it so much!!
I just wanted to say thank you for helping me stay in touch with my indian roots, even though I don’t live there anymore. You’re recipes are so easy and don’t use any hard to get ingredients, which is perfect for someone like me
Keep doing what you do, you’re awesome!
Hi Gita! I’m so so glad you and your friends loved this recipe. I’m also happy to know that you are able to keep in touch with your roots because of my recipes. You have made my day! Keep cooking.
Lots of love,
Anjali
I just have a question. Does the gobi Manchurian recipe include tomato sauce or tomato ketchup?