Gobi Manchurian Recipe or Cauliflower Manchurian is a popular Indo-Chinese dish made with deep fried crispy cauliflower, tossed in a spicy tangy manchurian sauce, and served as a side dish or appetizer.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 10 minutes
  • Cook time: 20 minutes
  • Total time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 2
  • Category: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
  • Cuisine: Chinese, Indian, Indian-Chinese

Ingredients

For the Batter:

  • 2 - 2 1/2 cups cauliflower/gobi (cut in florets, (about 20 -22 florets))
  • 1/4 cup corn starch/corn flour
  • 1/4 cup all purpose flour (maida)
  • 1 teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder
  • 2 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
  • 2 teaspoon tomato ketchup
  • salt and pepper (to taste)
  • water ((required to make make a bhaji/pancake consistency batter))

For Sauce

  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 teaspoon ginger (minced or paste)
  • 1 teaspoon garlic (minced or paste)
  • 1/2 cup onion (thinly sliced)
  • 1/4 cup capsicum (bell pepper) (thinly sliced)
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoon red chilli sauce ((optional))
  • 1/4 cup tomato Sauce
  • 1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar ((optional))
  • 2 tablespoon coriander leaves (cilantro) (finely chopped)
  • 2 tablespoon green/spring onion (finely chopped)
  • salt (to taste)

Method

Preparation

  1. Clean and cut the cauliflower into medium-sized florets. If you see any insects or worms, then add the florets into the hot water with some salt for a few minutes to get rid of any worms.
  2. Discard the water and drain completely. Pat them dry using a paper towel.

Prepare the Batter

  1. In a large bowl, add corn starch, all-purpose flour, ginger-garlic paste, ketchup (optional), Kashmiri red chili powder, salt, and pepper.
  2. Add little water at a time to make a thick, smooth batter. Ensure there are no lumps.

Frying the Cauliflower Florets

  1. Add Cauliflower florets into this batter and toss to coat.
  2. Once the oil is hot, gently slide the florets one by one and deep fry them till crispy and golden in color on medium heat. Also, fry the florets in batches, do not overload, just add 7-8 florets at a time.

Making the Manchurian Sauce

  1. Heat oil till smoky hot, add in garlic, ginger, and saute for 20 secs. Furthermore, add onion and capsicum. Stir fry for 30-90 secs on high heat.
  2. Add in all the sauces one by one, then add in vinegar and keep tossing the mixture.
  3. Finally, add the fried cauliflower florets, salt (if required), and give a quick toss till the sauce coats the pieces and serve immediately.
  4. Garnish with coriander leaves and spring onions. Give it a final toss and serve these crispy dry gobi manchurian recipes immediately with tomato ketchup.

Air Fryer Cauliflower Manchurian

  1. To make Gobi Manchurian in an Air Fryer, dip the florets in the batter and line them on the tray of the air fryer in a single layer. Brush or spray the air fryer basket with some oil. Air fry in a preheated air fryer at 390°F (200°C) for 12-15 minutes or until they are browned and crispy. Shake them halfway through.

Baked Cauliflower Manchurian

  1. To make Gobi Manchurian in the oven, dip the florets in the batter and arrange them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush or spray with some oil. Bake at 400 degrees in a preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until the cauliflower starts to brown and crisp. Turn them halfway through.

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.