Gobi Manchurian Gravy

Gobi Manchurian or ( Gobi meaning) cauliflower Manchurian,  A tasty hot and sour flavored dish. It is made with marinated cauliflower florets, then dipped into a batter and deep fried. Crispy florets are then tossed in a homemade Manchurian sauce, garlic, chilies and spring onions. Cauliflower Manchurian can be served in two ways, as a dry – appetizer or as a semi gravy – main course. So addictive Indo – Chinese dish, pairs well with white / brown rice or fried rice. Recipes includes detailed instructions, tips and stepwise pictures.

Gobi Manchurian is served with white /brown/jasmine rice or pairs well with fried rice, you can also serve Manchurian over fried rice like KFC (India) rice bowl style. Gobi or Cauliflower Manchurian is a popular Indo -Chinese food, many fast food / street food and restaurants in India have this on their menu. A favorite dish for many.  Frying these cauliflower to crispy golden brown is the only cooking time, then you only have to toss the fried cauliflower with spring onions and homemade Manchurian sauce. It tastes best when prepared and served immediately ( recommended).

Save prep time by cleaning and cutting the cauliflower into small size florets, refrigerate it in a zip lock or air tight box. I do this for almost all the vegetables, as soon as I buy the vegetable from the groceries, I clean, cut vegetable into required shape and refrigerate it or even freeze it ( I use it it within 4 weeks). It is really handy to just pull the veggies from the fridge, and add it to your dishes, it saves a lot of time.

How to make Cauliflower Manchurian Dry?

In this recipe, I’ve made cauliflower in Manchurian sauce ( like semi gravy) . You can make it dry too , In the final step add sauce and bring it to boil, reduce the sauce to thicker consistency ( if 1 cup sauce, then reduce it to 3/4th cup). Add the deep fried cauliflowers to the wok pan , stir well with Manchurian sauce ( you’ll notice cauliflower will absorb the sauce, coat all the cauliflower well in the sauce), immediately remove from flame, and transfer it to a serving bowl. Serve immediately for best taste.

Serving suggestions

You can serve Cauliflower Manchurian over fried rice ( like KFC India style rice bowls, see below picture) , or with white/ brown rice / jasmine rice / or with Noodles / lo mein.

Recipe for Indo- Chinese style fried rice and noodles ( lo mein) , see below link for recipes,

• Easy Vegetable Noodles Recipe

• Veggie Fried Rice

Step by step pictures of how to make the cauliflower Manchurian

Preparation – We only need 1/2 of one medium sized cauliflower for this recipe. Cut the cauliflower into small size florets. Take a bowl, add the florets , fill it with hot water (above the level of the florets), add 1 tsp of salt, stir well to dissolve and leave it for 5 minutes. Now strain the water completely using a strainer and pat dry the florets on a paper towel.

Clean and cut spring onions – chop the white onion bulbs and green part separately into thin rounds, finely mince / cut finely the green chilies and garlic cloves.

Cauliflower Marination

Take all the ingredients under marination – ginger and garlic paste, pepper powder, salt , soya sauce, vinegar, and mix well into a paste. Apply the paste on the dried florets ( make sure to coat all the florets with the prepared paste), and set aside.

Prepare the Manchurian Sauce 

Take all the ingredients under sauce – tomato ketchup , soya sauce, green chilies sauce , corn flour , pepper powder, salt, sugar, hot water, and mix well without any lumps.

Deep fry the marinated florets

In a kadai / pot, add enough oil for deep frying the florets , and heat in medium – low flame. Now prepare the maida / all purpose flour and corn flour paste. Take a bowl, all purpose flour, corn flour, baking soda, slowly add water to make a thick batter(not too thick or thin, if its runnier, then coating will not stick to the florets). Once the oil is hot for frying, Take the marinated florets, one floret at a time, and coat it well in the prepared maida – corn flour paste (make sure the floret is coated well with batter on all sides), drop it into the hot oil.

Repeat the same with rest of the florets ( do not overcrowd the florets) and deep fry into golden brown color ( it may take approximately 5 to 6 minutes to fry one batch). Keep the flame in medium-low at all times. Drain the fried florets on a paper towel to remove excess oil, Set aside.

Final Step 

Use a wok pan / heavy bottomed pan, add 2 tablespoons of oil, once hot add minced garlic, white portion of the spring onions, minced green chilies, and sauté for a minute (or until garlic turns slight brown color, and fragrant) . Now take the prepared Manchurian sauce, pour it into the wok, stir well, and bring the sauce to a boil (you will see the sauce starts to thicken ), then switch of the flame.

Now arrange the deep fried cauliflower ( in a single layer) in a serving bowl, and then pour the hot sauce on the arranged cauliflower, and garnish with chopped green part of the spring onions on the top, and serve immediately (  highly recommend to serve it immediately , else cauliflower will become soggy).