Gobi Manchurian
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5
172 reviews
Excellent
Gobi Manchurian
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Gobi Manchurian features deep-fried cauliflower florets coated in a spicy, tangy sauce made from soy, chili, ketchup, vinegar, and aromatics like ginger, garlic, and shallots. The sauce is thickened with cornstarch and balanced with sweetness from brown sugar. This dish offers a crunchy texture combined with a saucy, flavorful coating typical of Indo-Chinese cuisine.
Description
This Gobi Manchurian recipe starts by preparing a batter combining all-purpose or rice flour, cornstarch, garlic, ginger, Kashmiri red chili powder, salt, and water to coat the cauliflower florets. The florets are fried until crisp in vegetable or high-heat oil. Separately, a sauce is made with neutral oil heated in a wok or pan, where ginger, garlic, serrano peppers, shallots, scallions, and green bell pepper are sautéed until aromatic and slightly colored.
The sauce combines soy sauce, sambal oelek or chili-garlic sauce, white vinegar, toasted sesame oil, ketchup, and brown sugar, with a cornstarch slurry added to thicken it quickly. This glossy sauce is then tossed with the fried cauliflower, garnished with cilantro, and the dark green scallion tops for freshness. The result is a crispy yet sauced dish with a mild to moderate heat depending on serrano use, a balance of sweet, sour, spicy, and savory flavors, and a crunchy-tender texture in the cauliflower.
The recipe notes include tips for adjusting heat level, flour options for gluten-free preparation, soaking and drying cauliflower to prevent oil splatter, and using a wok at medium-high heat for better frying control. The sauce should be at room temperature before mixing with the cauliflower to maintain crispness. Changes to batter thickness can be corrected by adjusting flour or cornstarch. This version preserves the signature texture and taste of the Indo-Chinese Gobi Manchurian.
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Ingredients
Manchurian Sauce
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil oil of choice
- 1- inch ginger chopped, piece
- 5 garlic chopped, cloves
- 1 to 2 Serrano pepper chopped
- 1 shallot or 1/2 of a small red onion), finely diced, large
- 6 scallion whites and light green parts chopped (dark green tops sliced on a bias and reserved for garnish
- ½ cup (60g) green bell pepper chopped
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sambal oelek or chili-garlic sauce
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar distilled
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil toasted
- 3 tablespoons ketchup organic
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar organic
- ½ tablespoon cornstarch use with 1 tablespoon cold water
- 1 cilantro chopped (for garnish, fresh, handful
Fried Cauliflower
- 1 cauliflower cut into small-medium florets (450-500g of florets, small head
- 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour or + 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons (98g) rice flour
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons (45g) cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon garlic or crushed with a press, grated
- 1 teaspoon ginger finely grated
- 3/4 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder mild chili powder
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup (120 mL) water plus 1 to 2 tablespoons more as needed
- vegetable oil or high-heat oil for deep frying
Instructions
- Make the Manchurian Sauce. Mix together soy sauce, chili sauce, ketchup, sugar, sesame oil, and vinegar in a bowl. Set aside. In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and water until well combined.
- Heat a flat-bottomed wok* over medium-high heat until it just starts to smoke. Then add 3 tablespoons of the oil and swirl the pan to get it up the lower sides of the pan. Add the ginger, garlic, and chili peppers, Cook for 1 minute, shaking the pan back and forth or stirring frequently. Add the shallots, scallion whites and light green parts, and green bell pepper, and season with a pinch of salt. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring or shaking the pan often, or until the aromatics start to get some color.
- Add the sauce and stir fry for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir the cornstarch slurry again to incorporate, and then pour it into the pan. Mix well and stir until the sauce turns glossy and thickens a bit (should be very quick). Turn off the heat and allow the sauce to come to room temperature.**
- Please read through the instructions before proceeding and read the "Tips" section, especially if you're new to deep frying.
- Make the cauliflower batter: mix together the all-purpose flour or rice flour, cornstarch, garlic, ginger, chili powder, and salt in a large bowl. Gradually pour in the water and whisk until you have a lump-free and smooth batter that is quite thick and viscous (it should feel a little heavy with some resistance). Be cautious with the water (rice flour needs less water than AP flour).***
- Heat the oil. Add enough oil to a saucepan or deep heavy-bottomed pan for deep frying, no more than 1/2 full of oil. Heat over medium heat. Line a large plate with a few paper towels.
- Coat the florets. While the oil is heating, add a few florets to the batter and use a silicone spatula to toss the florets all over, coating all the crevices. Continue adding a few more florets until they're all coated.
- Fry the cauliflower. Once the oil is at 335º-350ºF, lift out a few florets using a slotted spoon and add to the hot oil. Add a few more in batches, until half of the florets are in the oil. Wait 1 minute before stirring to prevent the batter from slipping off and sticking to other florets.
- Fry the florets for a total of 6 to 10 minutes, stirring from time to time, until they are golden brown (not just golden). Scoop up the florets with the spider or slotted spoon and gently shake it up and down to get rid of excess oil. Strain florets onto the paper towel-lined surface.Note: The exact time depends on the size of your pan and how much oil you have (rice flour is a little quicker than AP flour). Don’t worry if the florets stick together, as it’ll be easy to pry them apart once they’re out of the oil.
- Allow the oil to return to 335º-350ºF—it should take 1 to 2 minutes. Meanwhile, gently stir the remaining florets in the batter to ensure they’re well coated. Repeat the frying process with the second half of the florets.
- Increase the heat to high and wait until the oil is at 375-400ºF (takes 3 to 6 minutes).**** Replace the paper towels with new ones.
- Use the spider or spoon to add all of the florets to the oil and flash fry briefly, or until deeply golden browned (20-30 seconds for rice flour, 1 minute for AP flour). Strain onto the paper towels and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt.
- Coat the cauliflower in sauce. When the florets are done frying, add them to the sauce (off the heat) and mix gently until well coated. Garnish with the reserved scallion greens and chopped cilantro. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Adjust the serrano peppers for mild to very spicy heat by altering quantity and membrane use.
- Thoroughly wash and dry cauliflower to prevent oil splatter during frying.
- Use rice flour for a gluten-free batter and tamari instead of soy sauce to keep it gluten-free.
- Prepare the sauce while frying cauliflower; let sauce cool to room temperature before tossing with fried cauliflower to keep it crispy.
- If batter is too thin, add more flour or cornstarch according to the flour type used to achieve proper consistency.
- If using a wok, fry cauliflower at medium-high heat to better control cooking speed and texture.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
275kcal
(14%)
Carbohydrates
38g
(13%)
Protein
5g
(10%)
Fat
8g
(12%)
Saturated Fat
1g
(5%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
(6%)
Monounsaturated Fat
5g
(25%)
Sodium
572mg
(24%)
Potassium
452mg
(10%)
Fiber
4g
(16%)
Sugar
9g
(18%)
Vitamin A
241IU
(5%)
Vitamin C
66mg
(73%)
Calcium
48mg
(5%)
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4to 6 people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 275 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 275kcal | 14% |
| Carbohydrates | 38g | 13% |
| Protein | 5g | 10% |
| Fat | 8g | 12% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Sodium | 572mg | 24% |
| Potassium | 452mg | 10% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 9g | 18% |
| Vitamin A | 241IU | 5% |
| Vitamin C | 66mg | 73% |
| Calcium | 48mg | 5% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
172 reviews
Excellent
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