Crispy, tangy and sweet, Gobi Manchurian is an Indo-Chinese fusion dish which smothers crispy fried cauliflower in a spicy sauce. It’s a great appetizer and also works really well mixed in with salads, tossed together with noodles or simply served on top of rice. And it’s super-easy to make. Here’s how to do it.
What is Gobi Manchurian?
Gobi Manchurian is a dish that takes both its name and inspiration from two different regions and cultures. “Gobi” is a desert in northern China and Mongolia, but in this case, it refers to the Hindi for cauliflower: फूलगोभी (phool gobhi). Manchuria is of course a region of China as well.
“Manchurian” is a style of cooking developed by Chinese immigrants to India, seeking to adapt Chinese flavors and techniques to Indian tastes. A Manchurian dish means the main ingredient has been chopped, deep fried, and then smothered in a rich dressing containing soy sauce. Chicken, shrimp, paneer, fish, etc can all be served “Manchurian”.
Gobi Manchurian is cauliflower served in this way. Although virtually unknown in China, it has become very popular in India. Slowly, it has spread internationally, becoming a staple part of Indo-Chinese cuisine worldwide.
How to Make Manchurian Sauce
The ingredients for each sauce will vary, according to what you’re serving it with. But for gobi Manchurian, we include ginger, garlic and onion along with sweet chili and soy sauce. Ketchup and rice vinegar add piquancy and chili powder ups the spice quotient.
To make Manchurian sauce, start by gently sautéing the onion in a little oil. Once softened, add the garlic and ginger with the chili powder. Cook for a few more minutes, before throwing in the liquid ingredients. Then it’s simply a matter of waiting for the sauce to thicken and reduce a little. It has a great tangy flavor, sharp and swet at the same time.
Batter for the Cauliflower
Break the cauliflower into florets, then measure out the flour and corn starch with the chili powder.
Note for gluten-free readers: you can replace the wheat flour with rice flour for a gluten free batter. Be sure to check the labels of the soy sauce, ketchup and chili sauce as well though; these products frequently contain gluten.
To make the batter, simply whisk cold water into the dry ingredients until you have a smooth mixture. Add the cauliflower florets and stir well, so that they are coated on all sides with the wet batter.
Frying the Cauliflower
Time for the obligatory safety lecture! I say this a lot, but deep frying can be dangerous if not undertaken carefully. Fill your pan no more than one third full with oil, don’t overheat it and don’t overcrowd the pan. Have a lid for your pan on hand. If the oil catches fire, turn off the heat and smother the flames by blocking off the oxygen supply with the lid.
Use a pair of tongs to lower the cauliflower florets into the hot oil and fry for 3-4 minutes until golden and crunchy. Scoop out with a slotted spoon and leave to drain on kitchen paper.
The last step is to add the crunchy fried cauliflower to the sauce. Reheat it if you need to, then add the cauliflower and stir to coat. Serve immediately, before it gets soggy, scattered with the chopped scallions.
What to Serve with Gobi Manchurian
You can just serve it alone, as an appetizer, as you see in the pictures here. But you can also use it as the centerpiece of a main dish with noodles or rice on the side – it’s got more than enough sauce and flavor to it.
I’ve also served it mixed in with a chickpea salad with oven-roasted vegetables and lots of fresh cilantro, which turned out to be a great combination.
And More…
Looking for other vegetarian Indian or Chinese recipes? Try one of these:
- Indian Yellow Lentil Soup
- Creamy Chickpea and Spinach Curry
- Khichdi
- Spicy Roasted Pumpkin Ginger Soup
- Asian Vegetable Stir Fry
Conclusion
After trying it out, you’ll see why the Indians fell in love with this Chinese fusion dish – and why it’s becoming so popular all over the world! How do you plan to eat your gobi Manchurian? In a salad, with noodles, or with rice? Or just as it is?
Gobi Manchurian
Ingredients
For the fried cauliflower1/4
- 1 lb cauliflower broken into florets
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/4 cup corn starch
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 cup water plus extra as required
- salt and pepper
- vegetable oil for frying
For the sauce
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 onion peeled and minced
- 6 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 1 oz fresh ginger peeled and minced
- 1/4 tsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 4 tbsp sweet chili sauce
- 1 scallion finely sliced
Instructions
For the sauce
- Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onions with a pinch of salt and cook for about 8-10 minutes until softened and just starting to color.
- Add the garlic, ginger, and chili powder. Fry for 2 more minutes.
- Add the soy sauce, vinegar, ketchup and chili sauce, with a few tbsp of water. Cook for a few minutes until the sauce is slightly thickened to the desired consistency. For a thinner sauce, add a little more water; for a thicker sauce, a quarter tsp corn starch dissolved in cold water.
- Season to taste and set aside until ready to eat.
For the fried cauliflower
- Mix the flour, cornstarch, and chili powder together with a good pinch of salt and pepper.
- Add the water and whisk until you have a smooth batter, a little thinner than pancake batter. Add a little more water if necessary.
- Add the cauliflower to the bowl and stir well, so the florets are well coated in the batter.
- Fill a pan about 1 third full with vegetable oil. Heat to 350°F over medium heat.
- Deep fry the cauliflower florets for about 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally and turning so they brown evenly.
- Lift out of the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
To finish
- Reheat the sauce if necessary.
- Add the fried cauliflower to the sauce, turning so that it gets well-coated. Scatter over the chopped scallions and serve immediately, hot from the pan.
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