Gobi Manchurian

Gobi Manchurian or cauliflower Manchurian is truly one of the most gratifying meals of all time. It’s hard not to pop the sizzling golden fried battered cauliflower florets in your mouth, even as the Manchurian sauce simmers away filling your kitchen with delectable aromas.

Indo-Chinese food is best had in India and is a popular addition to most restaurant menus. Surprisingly, you can also sample some of the best spicy piping hot Indo-Chinese fare at quaint roadside eateries in India. Where can one find the “world’s best Indo-Chinese food” is often a topic of discussion at parties and at dinner tables. 

So what exactly is Gobi Manchurian?

Gobi means cauliflower in India
Manchurian is a spicy-sweet & tangy sauce made by combining a few basic pantry ingredients such as chili sauce, soy sauce, and ketchup.
Gobi Manchurian is the blissful marriage of fried cauliflower florets and the flavorful Manchurian sauce.

Gobi Manchurian - Dry or Saucy

This dish can be made saucy as an entree or it can be tossed up as a stir fry dish and served up as a party appetizer or a side dish. Either way, you are sure to have a winning dish to serve to your guests.

I grew up eating and totally loving Indo-Chinese food in India. When I moved to the United States, this was one of the main things I sorely missed. I knew I had to master the art of making the “world's best Indo-Chinese food” right here in my kitchen.

Cauliflower is versatile and healthy and we all love it at my home. My kids think I make fantastic Gobi Manchurian, and I am happy to share this easy Indo-Chinese recipe with you. This recipe is for dry Gobi Manchurian and can be served as an appetizer or as a side dish, served with Hakka Noodles or fried rice. 

A healthier spin on Gobi Manchurian

Since I am not very comfortable with deep frying, I have always made this recipe using an alternate healthy cooking technique. I pan-fry the battered cauliflower using just a fraction of oil instead of the deep-fried restaurant version. Pan-fry them on medium heat, turning a couple of times until the cauliflower starts to crisp up and turn golden brown.  Fry it in batches, and you have perfectly crisp cauliflower ready to be coated in the spicy, sweet, and tangy Manchurian sauce. 

Gluten-free Gobi Manchurian

• Substitute all-purpose flour with gluten-free all-purpose flour or rice flour
• Substitute soy sauce with tamari

How to Make Gobi Manchurian

• Boil 6 cups of water in a large pot. Place the cauliflower florets in the hot boiling water for 2 minutes. Carefully take them out of the water making sure to drain all the water out. Allow them to cool down.
•  In a medium mixing bowl mix cornflour, all-purpose flour, salt & pepper. Gradually add little water making sure that the batter is not runny.
• Add the steamed cauliflower florets to the batter and gently mix to coat them with the batter.

• Heat oil in a nonstick skillet or pan over medium heat.
• Slowly add a batch of battered cauliflower florets to the oil. Note: Add half of the cauliflower at a time so they are not too crowded.
• Fry for 6 to 8 minutes, turning halfway through as they start to turn golden brown. Use a slotted spatula to transfer the cooked florets from the pan to a platter lined with a paper towel.
• Pan-fry the remaining cauliflower. Add another tablespoon of oil if needed. Transfer the fried gobi to the platter. Set aside.

• In the same pan, add the white part of the chopped scallions, ginger, garlic, and green chili. Cook for 3 minutes on medium-high heat and then add red chili sauce, soy sauce, and ketchup. Mix well and cook for a minute. Add vinegar, and sugar and mix well.
• Next, add water and cook until the sauce comes to a gentle simmer and starts to thicken about 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add the pan-fried cauliflower and gently mix in the sauce coating cauliflower florets evenly. Cook for another 1 minute. Turn the heat off, and garnish with spring onions.

Serving Gobi Manchurian

Enjoy piping hot Gobhi Manchurian as an appetizer or as a meal with Hakka Noodles, Fried Rice, or plain steamed rice. If you enjoy Indo-Chinese dishes do try my Instant Veg Manchurian recipe with ready-made veggie meatballs.

Using Air Fryer or Oven

• Air Fryer Method - Use a perforated parchment paper liner and coat it with oil. Line the steamed & batter-coated cauliflower in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Brush or spray the cauliflower with oil. Cook at 380 degrees for 10 minutes. Turn the cauliflower over, brush with oil again and continue to cook for another 5 mins. You will have perfectly crispy cauliflower to use in the Manchurian recipe.

• Oven Method - Arrange the steamed & batter-coated cauliflower in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush or spray with oil and bake at 400 degrees in a preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until the cauliflower starts to turn light golden brown. Turn halfway through.

Homemade drinks to pair with Gobi Manchurian

• Mango Lassi
• Aam Panna
• Ginger Lemonade
• Rose Falooda
• Watermelon Juice
• Pomegranate Juice

More Indian Street Food Recipes

• Mumbai Pav Bhaji
• Kathi Rolls
• Aloo Chat
• Misal Pav
• Ragda Patties
• Sabudana Vada
• Dahi Vada

Recipe

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Gobi Manchurian

Popular Indo Chinese Gobi Manchurian using a healthier no fry recipe

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time40 minutes mins

Course: Appetizer, dinner, Entree

Cuisine: Chinese, Indian

Servings: 4

Calories: 235kcal

Author: Archana Mundhe

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 pound cauliflower cut evenly into 1 to 2 inch florets
• ▢ 2 tablespoons corn flour
• ▢ 4 tablespoons all purpose flour use cassava flour for low carb option
• ▢ ⅓ cup water
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ▢ 3 tablespoons oil

Sauce Ingredients

• ▢ 2 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
• ▢ 2 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
• ▢ 2 tablespoons ketchup
• ▢ 1 tablespoon vinegar
• ▢ 2 teaspoons sugar optional

Other ingredients

• ▢ 1 tablespoon oil
• ▢ 1 small green chili sliced (optional)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon garlic minced
• ▢ 1 tablespoon ginger paste
• ▢ ½ cup scallions white part chopped
• ▢ ¼ cup green scallions chopped finely
• ▢ ½ cup water

Instructions

Steam the cauliflower using either Instant Pot or Stove top

• Using Instant Pot: Add 1 cup of water to the Instant Pot insert and place the trivet inside. Put the cauliflower florets in a steamer basket and place the basket over the trivet. Close the Instant Pot lid and turn the pressure release valve to sealing. Steam for zero minute followed by quick release. Open the Instant Pot and take out the cauliflower florets. Allow to cool.

  Using Stove Top: Boil 6 cups of water in a large pot. Place the cauliflower florets in the hot boiling water for 2 minutes. Carefully take them out of the water making sure to drain all the water out. Allow to cool 

Make the batter and coat the cauliflower florets

• Next, make the batter to coat the cauliflower. In a medium mixing bowl mix cornflour, all-purpose flour, salt & pepper. Gradually add little water making sure that the batter is not runny.
• Add the steamed cauliflower florets to the batter and gently mix to coat them with the batter.

Pan fry battered caulilfower (see notes for airfrying)

• Heat oil in a nonstick skillet or pan over medium heat. Slowly add a batch of battered cauliflower florets to the oil. Note: I only add half of the cauliflower at a time so they are not too crowded.
• Fry for 6 to 8 minutes, turning halfway through as they start to turn golden brown. Use a slotted spatula to transfer the cooked florets from the pan to a platter lined with a paper towel.
• Pan-fry the remaining cauliflower. Add another tablespoon of oil if needed. Transfer the fried cauliflower to the platter. Set aside.

Make the Machurian sauce, toss in the cauliflower & garnish

• In the same pan, add white part of the chopped scallions, ginger, garlic and green chili. Cook for 3 minutes on medium heat and then add chili sauce, soy sauce and ketchup. Mix well and cook for a minute. Add vinegar, sugar and mix well.
• Next, add water and cook until the sauce comes to a gentle simmer and starts to thicken about 3 to 4 minutes..
• Add the pan-fried cauliflower and gently mix in the sauce coating cauliflower florets evenly. Cook for another 1 minute. Turn the heat off, garnish with green scallions and enjoy hot.

Video

Notes

How to use Air-fryer instead of panfrying the cauliflower:

1. Use a perforated parchment paper liner and coat it with oil.
2. Line the steamed & batter-coated cauliflower in a single layer in the Air Fryer Basket.
3. Brush or spray the cauliflower with oil. Cook at 380 degrees for 10 minutes.
4. Turn the cauliflower over, brush with oil again and continue to cook for another 5 mins. You will have perfectly crispy cauliflower to use in the Manchurian recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 235kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 767mg | Potassium: 457mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 276IU | Vitamin C: 60mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 1mg

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