Simple, practical, and full of everyday flavour, Baked Gobi Manchurian (Cauliflower Manchurian) is a vegan, vegetarian Chinese, Indian-Chinese appetizer, main course made with small head of cauliflower, of flour such as rice flour or all-purpose flour, and of cornstarch or other starch such as tapioca starch in about 60 minutes. The recipe lays out the ingredients and each cooking step clearly, so you can adjust seasoning, texture, and serving size for your own kitchen.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 15 minutes
  • Cook time: 45 minutes
  • Total time: 60 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Appetizer, Main Course
  • Cuisine: Chinese, Indian-Chinese

Ingredients

For the cauliflower:

  • 1 small head of cauliflower (chopped into florets, 4 cups)

For the batter:

  • 7 tablespoons of flour such as rice flour or all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup of cornstarch or other starch such as tapioca starch
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons oil
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 1/3-1/2 cup of water
  • 1/4 cup panko

For the Manchurian sauce:

  • 2 teaspoons of oil
  • 6-8 cloves of garlic finely chopped
  • 1 inch knob of ginger peeled and finely chopped
  • 1/2 of a green or red chili seeded and finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped red or white onion
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
  • 2 tablespoons chopped celery (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon Asian Chili Sauce such as Sambal Oelek or other
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon ketchup
  • 2 teaspoons white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2-3 teaspoons sugar or maple syrup
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons corn starch
  • 1/2 cup of water

Method

  1. Add all the dry ingredients for the batter in a bowl and mix well(flour, starch, garlic powder, salt, baking powder). Add the soy sauce, oil, and 1/3 cup water, and mix. Add water 1 tbsp at a time to make a thick smooth batter.
  2. Add cauliflower florets to the bowl and toss to coat. Sprinkle panko aon the florets. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheet.
  3. Bake at 415 F(210 C) for 25-28 minutes. Check if the cauliflower is done at 25 mins. Remove from the oven when done and set aside

For the sauce

  1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and chilis and stir. Cook until the garlic is golden,2-3 minutes.
  2. Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery and cook until golden. 8 minutes.
  3. Add in the sauces. The Asian chili sauce, soy sauce, ketchup, vinegar, black pepper, and sugar and bring it to a boil.
  4. Mix together corn starch in 1/2 cup of water then add it to the skillet. Cook until the sauce comes to a good boil and thickens. Taste and adjust seasoning. Adjusting the soy sauce for salt and heat with black pepper or Asian Chili Sauce.
  5. Once thickened, cool for 5 mins, then add your baked cauliflower and toss to coat. Top with green onions and serve immediately. See notes for storage

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.