Recipe - Cauliflower Manchurian (Gobi Manchurian)

Spicy cauliflower fritters/ Spicy cauliflower fritters in gravy)

Summary:

Gobi manchurian reminds me of my home town, Hyderabad. Manchurian is listed on the menu card even in a south Indian restaurant. I don't know how popular it is in China but it is very popular in India. Manchurian is made with other vegetables like lauki/dudhi, mixed vegetables or cauliflower and is served with noodles or fried rice or as an appetizer. Manchurian is served with or without gravy.

For Lauki kofta, prepare the lauki/dudhi dumplings and add the dumplings manchurian gravy at the end.

Ingredients:

• Cauliflower - 20 - 25 florets (small size)
• Bell pepper (capsicum) - 1/4 cup (for garnish - optional)
• Spring onions - 1/4 cup or less (chopped)
• Green chilies - 1 Serrano chopped (1 Indian hot green chilies)
• Ginger- 1 tablespoon (chopped/minced)

• Garlic - 1 tablespoon (chopped/minced )
• Corn flour - 2 tablespoons
• All Purpose Flour/Maida - 4 tablespoons
• Soy Sauce - 1 tablespoon
• Sweet and sour sauce - 2 teaspoons (tomato chili sauce)
• Red chili powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• Salt - 1 teaspoon (according to taste)
• Oil - 2 cups (for deep frying)

Process:

Preparation for cauliflower fritters:

Sprinkle a pinch of salt on the florests, microwave them for 2 minutes. Set the florets aside.

Preparing the batter to dip cauliflower florets:

• Corn flour
• All purpose flour
• Red chili powder (optional)
• Green chilies
• Ginger - 1 teaspoon
• Garlic - 1 teaspoon
• Spring onions - 1 tablespoon
• Salt - 3/4 teaspoon (according to taste)
• Water 1/2 cup

Mix all the batter ingredients together to medium consistency.
Dip cauliflower florets into the batter, deep fry them until golden brown and set them aside.

Deep-frying:

Take 3 cups of oil in a deep bottom skillet. Heat the oil at medium-high temperature. Dip cauliflower florets one at a time in the batter so that all the sides are well coated with the batter and gently slide the florets in the skillet and deep fry until golden.

Remove them from skillet and lay them on a paper towel to drain the excess oil.

Keep the remaining batter for gravy; do not discard the batter yet. The batter can be used in the gravy.

Preparation for the gravy:

• All Purpose flour/maida - 4 tablespoons
• Soy sauce - 1 tablespoon
• Sweet and sour sauce - 2 teaspoons (tomato chili sauce)
• Bell pepper (capsicum) - 1/4 cup (for garnish - optional)
• Spring onions - 1/4 cup or less (chopped)
• Green chilies - 2 chopped
• Ginger- 2 teaspoon (chopped/minced)
• Garlic - 2 teaspoon (chopped/minced )
• Oil - 1 tablespoon
• Remaining batter from deep frying - 1 tablespoon (mix it with 1/4 cup of water)

Process:

Preheat the kadai/skillet with oil at medium high, add chopped garlic, ginger and fry them for a minute.

Add bell pepper (optional) fry for a minute, do not over cook. Ensure the bell pepper remains crispy.

Now add soy sauce, sweet and sour sauce/chili sauce and the batter mixture with water.

Let the gravy come to a boil, add spring onions and turn off the stove.

Add the cauliflower fritters/manchurian to gravy and serve it hot with fried rice or noodles. Enjoy!

Preparation time: 20 -30 minutes
Servings: 2 - 4