THE STORY OF INDO-CHINESE CAULIFLOWER MANCHURIAN

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https://alcoeats.com/blogs/fun-with-alcoeats/the-story-of-indo-chinese-cauliflower-manchurian

Gobi Manchurian Dry

Gobi Manchurian is a popular Indo-Chinese starter of pan-fried crispy cauliflower florets tossed in a spicy, umami, savory sauce made with alliums, herbs, spices, soy sauce, and tomato ketchup.

• Preparation Time - 30 Minutes
• Cooking Time - 20 Minutes

Ingredients

• 1 Medium - Cauliflower
• 1 Cup - Flour
• 4 Tbsp - Cornflour
• ½ Tsp - Alcoeats Kashmiri Red Chilli
• ¼ Tsp - Black Pepper Powder
• 1 Tsp - Soya Sauce
• 1 Cup - Water
• 6 Tbsp - Cooking Oil
• 3 Cups - Chopped Spring Onion
• ½ Cup - Finely Chopped Capsicum
• 2 Inch - Ginger
• 8-10 - Garlic
• 2 - Green Chilies
• ½ Tbsp - Celery(Optional)
• 1 Tbsp - tomato Ketchup
• 1 Tsp - Vinegar
• ½ Tsp - Black Pepper Powder
• Salt as per taste

Instructions

• First, cut the cauliflower into medium-sized or smaller pieces.
• Fill a pot of water with enough salt to make it taste salty, and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Wash the cauliflower florets, then add them to the boiling salted water.
• Let them in the water for 15 minutes. Drain and keep aside later.

Frying Cauliflower Florets

• Mix the batter's ingredients in a bowl - all-purpose flour, cornstarch, soy sauce, black pepper, Kashmiri red chili powder, and salt.
• To make a smooth batter, add some water and mix with a whisk until there are no lumps.
• Coat each of the cauliflower florets with the batter.
• Fry cauliflower florets in hot oil. Add some more oil when pan-frying the spring onions.
• You can either deep fry or shallow fry your food. Depending on the size of your cooking vessel, you may need to do this in batches. Frying requires patience, but it's worth it when it comes down to crunch time.
• Drain the fried cauliflower florets on a clean kitchen paper towel.

Making Manchurian

• Add chopped ginger, garlic, and green chilies. Sauté for some seconds until the raw smell of ginger and garlic dissipates.
• Then, add the finely sliced spring onion and capsicum (if using). Turn the heat slightly and stir-fry for about five minutes or until the capsicums turn brown.
• Add soy sauce, ketchup, black pepper, and salt. Mix thoroughly.
• Add the pan-fried cauliflower florets.
• Lastly, add rice vinegar and stir until well mixed. Turn off the heat. Taste for flavor and adjust with soy sauce or tomato ketchup if needed.
• Mix the chopped spring onion greens before adding them to the cauliflower Manchurian.
• Serve Dry Manchurian as an appetizer or side dish with vegetable fried rice, mushroom fried rice, veggie Hakka noodles, or plain noodle soup.

Gobi Manchurian Gravy

Use the same ingredients for cooking dry Manchurian and the same process to prepare this dish. It would be best if you made a batter with all of these things, coat the cauliflower florets with it, then pan-fry them until they are golden brown.

Instructions To Make Gravy

• When cooking the cauliflower, add one tablespoon of corn flour mixed with two tablespoons of water to make a smooth paste. Set it aside for now.
• Add finely chopped garlic, ginger, and green chilies.
• Then add chopped spring onions and finely chopped celery, if desired.
• When the onions turn translucent, add tomato ketchup and spicy chili sauce (green or red) or soy sauce.
• Add one teaspoon of black pepper and stir. Bring the mixture to a boil.
• Slowly stir the cornstarch mixture in the bowl, so it doesn't settle on one spot. Turn down the heat and add this mixture to the pan while stirring continuously.
• Simmer for a few minutes until the sauce thickens and tastes less raw.
• Season to taste with salt and sugar, adding a little at a time.
• Add vinegar to the gravy. Mix well. If you do not like the taste of vinegar, skip it.
• Switch the stove top off before adding two tablespoons of chopped spring onions to the mix.
• Serve the Gobi Manchurian gravy hot and garnished with freshly sliced spring onions hot with steamed rice, veg fried rice, or Hakka noodles. 

Summing Up On Indo-Chinese Manchurian

The traditional Gobi Manchurian consists of battered fried cauliflower florets tossed in a sweet yet savory, spicy, hot, and just slightly salty Manchurian sauce. Though pan-frying the cauliflower is marginally healthier than deep frying, it can result in a less crispy texture, so if you prefer crisper Gobi Manchurian, you should fry them after coating them in bread. For extra crispy florets, chop them into smaller pieces before frying.

At Alcoeats, you can find natural and healthy Indian spices for your Gobi Manchurian dish. Whether it is dry or gravy Gobi Manchurian, browse through the range of products we offer!