Cauliflower Manchurian
The Indo-Chinese dish Gobi Manchurian is one of the best ways to cook cauliflower. The florets are deep-fried in a crisp, fluffy batter and tossed in a sweet, sour and spicy sauce.
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Introduction
Also known as Gobi Manchurian, this popular Indo-Chinese dish has crispy cauliflower florets tossed in a spicy sauce.
Ingredients
| 1 | cauliflower, cut into florets |
| 1 tbsp | oil, plus extra for deep-frying |
| 2 | garlic cloves, chopped |
| 1 | fresh green chilli, chopped |
| 1 | red onion, diced |
| 2 | spring onions, finely sliced, plus extra to garnish |
| ½ | red pepper, diced |
| ½ | green pepper, diced |
| 2 tbsp | tomato ketchup |
| 2 tbsp | chilli sauce |
| 2 tbsp | dark soy sauce |
| 1 tbsp | rice vinegar |
| 1 tbsp | chilli flakes |
| 1 tbsp | ground black pepper |
| 1 tsp | salt |
| For the batter: | |
|---|---|
| 100g | plain flour |
| 20g | cornflour |
| 1 tsp | chilli powder |
| 1 tsp | Kashmiri chilli powder |
| 1 tsp | ground black pepper |
| 1 tsp | salt |
| 200ml | water |
Method
Cook the cauliflower florets in a large saucepan of boiling water for 8–10 minutes, then drain in a colander and set aside.
For the batter, mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl, then slowly add the water, stirring all the time to make a smooth batter thick enough to coat the cauliflower. Drop the florets into the batter and stir gently to coat.
Heat the oil for deep-frying in a large saucepan on a medium-high heat until it reaches 180°C. Fry the cauliflower florets in batches for about 6 minutes until golden and crisp, then drain in a colander to remove excess oil.
Heat the oil in a large wok on a low heat, add the garlic, chopped chilli, red onion, spring onions and red and green peppers and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the ketchup, chilli sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, chilli flakes, black pepper and salt and heat through for 1 minute.
Toss the fried florets in the sauce, making sure to coat them properly. Serve the cauliflower in a bowl, garnished with sliced spring onions.
