Gobi Manchurian Recipe (Dry)

User Reviews

4.9

98 reviews
Excellent

Gobi Manchurian Recipe (Dry)

Gobi Manchurian (Dry) is an Indo-Chinese snack where cauliflower florets are first blanched and then coated with a spiced batter before pan-frying to a crisp. The cooked florets are stir-fried with aromatics like ginger, garlic, green chili, spring onions, and bell pepper in a savory sauce comprising soy sauce, tomato ketchup, vinegar, and pepper. The final dish offers a combination of crispy cauliflower pieces coated in a tangy, mildly spicy sauce with pungent garlic and ginger notes.

Description

This recipe begins by chopping a medium cauliflower head into medium or small florets, which are blanched in salted boiling water for 15-20 minutes, then drained. A batter made from all-purpose flour, cornstarch, black pepper, Kashmiri chili powder, soy sauce, and water is mixed smoothly and used to coat each floret. The coated florets are pan-fried in hot oil until crisp and golden.

Separately, the stir-fry sauce is prepared with finely chopped spring onion whites, green bell pepper, ginger, garlic, green chilies, soy sauce, tomato ketchup, rice vinegar, black pepper, and salt. The fried cauliflower is added to this mixture and tossed to evenly coat the florets with the flavorful sauce. The dish is garnished with spring onion greens and optionally celery for a fresh crunch.

Gobi Manchurian dry is served as an appetizer or snack, pairing well with fried or steamed dishes. Variations include substituting bell peppers, spring onions, or green chilies with alternatives like red or yellow peppers, onions, or dried chilies. Starch substitutes and skipping Ajinomoto are possible for dietary preferences. Proper oil temperature is key to achieving crisp yet tender florets without excessive oil absorption.

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Ingredients

Servings

for pan frying gobi florets

  • 1 cauliflower - medium head
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 tablespoon cornstarch (known as cornflour in India)
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper ground black pepper, powder
  • ¼ to ½ teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder or deghi mirch (can about 1 teaspoon to get a good color. But this will also increase the heat a bit.)
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce - naturally brewed
  • 1 cup water or add as required
  • 5 to 6 tablespoons neutral cooking oil for pan frying, generic cooking oil

other ingredients

  • ¾ cup spring onion scallion whites) - reserve the greens for garnish, chopped
  • ½ cup capsicum green bell pepper, finely chopped
  • 1.5 inch ginger - finely chopped or 3 teaspoons finely chopped ginger
  • 8 to 10 garlic - medium-sized cloves, finely chopped or 3 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
  • 2 green chilies finely chopped or 1 teaspoon finely chopped green chilies
  • ½ tablespoon celery optional, finely chopped
  • 1.5 tablespoon soy sauce or ½ to 1 tablespoon soy sauce, add as per your taste, light
  • 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup or add as required
  • 1 teaspoon rice vinegar or ½ teaspoon white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ to ½ teaspoon black pepper ground black pepper, powder
  • salt as required

Instructions

Preparing Cauliflower Florets

  1. Firstly chop or break the gobi (cauliflower) in medium or small sized florets.
  2. Heat water with salt and boil it. Rinse the cauliflower florets and add them to the hot water. 
  3. Let them get blanched in the water for 15 to 20 minutes. Later drain and keep aside.

Pan Frying Cauliflower Florets

  1. In a bowl mix together the ingredients for making the batter - all purpose flour, cornstarch, soy sauce, black pepper, kashmiri red chili powder and salt.
  2. Add water and whisk to make a smooth batter without any lumps.
  3. Dip each cauliflower floret in the batter.
  4. Fry the batter coated cauliflower florets in hot oil. I have pan fried and added about 6 tablespoons of oil. Later I have not added any oil while stir frying the spring onions etc.
  5. You can also deep fry or shallow fry. I have fried in batches of three. So depending on the size of your pan, you can fry at once or in batches. This frying takes some time.
  6. When one side gets cooked and crisp, turn over each cauliflower florets and pan fry the uncooked sides. 
  7. Flip for a couple of times more, so that the cauliflower florets are evenly fried and light golden.
  8. Drain the fried cauliflower florets on a kitchen paper towel. Fry all the cauliflower florets this way in batches.

Making Gobi Manchurian

  1. No need to add any oil again as there will be some oil remaining in wok or pan. To the same wok or pan, add chopped ginger, garlic and green chilies. Sauté for some seconds till the raw aroma of ginger and garlic go away.
  2. Then add the chopped spring onions and capsicum. Add chopped celery if using. Increase the heat and stir fry till the capsicum is half cooked or almost cooked.
  3. Add soy sauce, tomato ketchup, black pepper and salt. Stir.
  4. Add the pan fried cauliflower florets.
  5. Mix very well ensuring that the spiced sauce coats the fried cauliflower florets well.
  6. Lastly add rice vinegar and stir well. Switch off the heat. Check the taste and add more of soy sauce or tomato ketchup as per your taste. 
  7. Mix in the chopped spring onions greens or garnish with them while serving cauliflower manchurian.
  8. Serve Dry Gobi Manchurian as a snack or as a side dish with veg fried rice or mushroom fried rice or veg hakka noodles or veg noodles.

Notes

  • Bell peppers can be omitted or replaced with red or yellow varieties without affecting the core flavors.
  • Spring onions may be substituted with white onions, red onions, or shallots depending on preference.
  • Green chilies can be replaced with serrano or anaheim peppers, or dry red chilies and crushed red chili flakes for varying heat.
  • For starch alternatives, tapioca or potato starch can be used instead of cornstarch; whole wheat flour is an option in place of all-purpose flour.
  • Maintain moderate oil temperature when frying cauliflower to prevent sogginess or burning.
  • Ajinomoto (MSG) can be omitted or used sparingly according to dietary choices.

Nutrition Information

Show Details
Calories 332kcal (17%) Carbohydrates 38g (13%) Protein 5g (10%) Fat 18g (28%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Sodium 968mg (40%) Potassium 238mg (5%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 2g (4%) Vitamin A 350IU (7%) Vitamin C 44mg (49%) Calcium 31mg (3%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 332 kcal

% Daily Value*

Calories 332kcal 17%
Carbohydrates 38g 13%
Protein 5g 10%
Fat 18g 28%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Sodium 968mg 40%
Potassium 238mg 5%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 2g 4%
Vitamin A 350IU 7%
Vitamin C 44mg 49%
Calcium 31mg 3%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

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