Gobi Manchurian is a popular Indo-Chinese appetizer. Batter coated cauliflower florets, deep fried and sautéed with delicious sauces. A perfect appetizer for any party and a delish snack anytime.
Gobi manchurian | How to make gobi manchurian | Learn to make Dry gobi manchurian | Easy Indo-Chinese starter | Chinese starters | Fried cauliflower | Cauliflower Recipes | Appetizer with Cauliflower | Learn to make Indo-Chinese Starter | Easy Starter recipes | Desi Chinese Recipe | Easy Indian Chinese Recipe | Easy Appetizer for parties
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The Recipe Story
Cauliflower Manchurian , famously known as Gobi Manchurian is a classic hit at home, especially with the kids. When we eat out, it's usually our first choice.
As I mentioned in my Chili Paneer post, we have been staying away from restaurants recently. This has encouraged me to recreate our favorite dishes at home. I'm excited to prepare some Chinese food, especially for our BM theme, using modified recipes.
What is Indo-Chinese?
Indo-Chinese, a popular style of fusion cooking that combines Indian and Chinese cuisine. Indian Chinese cuisine, Indo-Chinese cuisine, Sino-Indian cuisine or Desi-Chinese cuisine is a distinct style of Chinese cuisine adapted to Indian tastes, combining Chinese foods with Indian flavors and spices.
Chinese Indian food is generally characterized by its ingredients: Indian vegetables and spices are used, along with a heavy amount of pungent Chinese sauces, thickening agents, and oil.
Indian Chinese food originated from Chinese immigrants who settled in Calcutta during British rule. These early settlers established communities where they prepared and enjoyed their traditional dishes. The Cantonese cuisines, known for their light and fresh flavors, adapted to local tastes, gradually incorporating Indian elements.
This article on the Desi Chinese food, in Food52, gave me a shock, when it said that there is no Manchurian in actual Chinese cuisine. Imagine we going ga-ga over Gobi manchurian, and there is nothing like that in the original cuisine!
The Love for Indian Chinese Food
When we eat out, the most ordered soups and starters will always be Indo-Chinese. My kids till date order Vegetable manchow soup and springs rolls. This paneer fried rice is a fabulous hit at home, and a great way to spice up a day or two old rice.
Schezwan idly, an idly makeover, is another perfect example of how deep rooted this fusion cooking is, South-Indian staple dressed up in Chinese sauces.
Though i cook some traditional and popular Asian recipes like Chinese scallion pancakes , tingmos with sesame chili sauce, banh bao , banh it tran with nuoc cham chay, it never compares to the desi cuisine recipes like this Indo-Chinese style fried Cauliflower rice or paneer chili.
Gobi Manchurian | Cauliflower Manchurian | Indo-Chinese starter
Ingredients
- 600 grams of cauliflower florets
- ½ cup whole wheat flour
- ½ cup besan/gram flour
- ¼ cup rice flour
- ¼ cup corn flour
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon chili sauce
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon pepper powder
- salt to taste
- oil for deep frying
For the sauté
- 2 medium onions finely chopped, skip if sattvic
- ¼ cup chopped spring onions skip if sattvic
- 2 green chilies slit lengthwise
- 2 fat cloves of garlic minced, skip if sattvic
- a small piece of ginger finely chopped
- 2 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon tomato sauce i have use chili sauce
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon freshly pounded black pepper
- Fresh spring onions for garnish skip if sattvic
I have made the same recipe without onion and garlic, it tastes the same. If you are used to sattvic food, you will not find any difference.
Instructions
Let us fry the cauliflower first
- Take all the flours in a wide bowl, whisk well to combine. To this flour add red chili powder, pepper powder, soy sauce, chili sauce and around ½ cup to ¾ cup of water and make a thick batter
- The batter should be neither too thick or too thin, the florets should get well coated with the batter
- Clean and separate the cauliflower into bite-sized florets. Take water in a wide sauce pan and boil it. Once it comes to a rolling boil, remove it off the stove, add the florets to this water and let it sit for 2 minutes. Then drain the water completely, let the florets sit in the drainer until fried.
- Dip each floret into the batter and deep fry until golden brown. Again take care while deep frying, do not crowd the pan, then you might not get crispy florets. Keep the flame medium, while frying.
- Too high you might burn them, too low it will turn soggy, so medium is the best. Drain the golden brown florets on to a kitchen towel. Repeat the same with the rest of the florets.
Let us saute the florets now
- In a wide pan, heat oil, when it is hot, add chilies,ginger and saute until onions turn pink. Next add chopped spring onions to this and saute
- Add soy sauce, tomato sauce and vinegar to this and mix well and saute on high heat. Now add the deep fried florets to this and toss to combine.
- Finally finish off with pepper and fresh spring onions greens for garnish and take it off the stove.
- Serve it warm along with rice or enjoy it as such as a starter.
Notes
- I dont use All purpose flour in my kitchen, so i have used a combination of flours for frying the cauliflower. You can use ¾ cup of all purpose flour and ¼ cup corn flour in place of the above flours
- I have done the recipe without onion and garlic also. It tastes the same. So if you are used to sattvic food, then you can skip onion and garlic.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
I m not a Doctor or a Nutritionist The Nutrition information provided above comes from the plugin and is only an estimate.
Srivalli
Gobi Manchurian dry is something that gets made atleast once a month at home. Kids simply love it!..your version looks so sinful Priya
Priya Suresh
Simply fabulous, and this dry manchurian rocks Priya, just need some rice to finish that bowl. Lovely dish.
Mayuri Patel
Love your recipe of using wheat and gram flour instead of plain flour. I prefer dry cauliflower Manchurian compared to the one with gravy.
Harini R
Excellent substitution of maida. Since the air fryer, Gobi manchurian has become a frequent occurrence in our house.
MySpicyKitchen
Manchurian looks so good, Priya. To be honest, more than your side dishes, I am gawking at your props. Love the color of the bowls in these photos and in the last post. For a second, looking at the pictures I thought you shared previous's day's post. 🙂
Sandhya Ramakrishnan
That is our all time favorite. I made it couple of weeks ago along with some fried rice and it was gone in a jiffy. Looks awesome Priya!
cookingwithsapana
Look at that sinful gobi manchurian. i am in love with the vibrant and beautiful pictures.
www.annapurnaz.in
Gobi manchurian is making me feel hungry though I have just taken my tea with samosa. I love gobi manchurian, but make it occationally. Its not that I'm calorie conscious, but certain things are to be kept for special occasions.
Chef Mireille
havent had any kind of manchurian in so long - you make me want some so bad right now
Unknown
wow Priya, gobhi manchurian is calling me to taste some. So crispy look and tempting clicks. Perfect.
Suja Ram
Thats a delicious Starter, pics are so beautiful! Good to know that you avoid Restaurant food and its great that you bring that taste to your home..Kudos girl!
Kalyani
Gobi Manchurian is an absolute favourite at home. Last few years I have started airfrying the Manchurian and we love it that way too .. that pic with the fork taking that Manchurian is so inviting priya , even at 4:30am here 😉
Seema
OMG! what a rave it was. This is a recipe my kids adore and i had never found any place here in Sydney close to our tastebuds. Your recipe was spot on that we have three cauliflowers bought at home now for repeats!
Priya_Srinivasan
Thank you seema! Glad to know you all love it!
Priya Vj
There is something special about Indo Chinese and this Gobi manchurian is a show stealer ...the clicks are now making me crave for one !
Jayashree T.Rao
Gobi Manchurian looks tasty and a healthier version with the use of wheat flour. One of the favourite Indo-chinese snacks.