Gobi Manchurian dry - Cauliflower Manchurian Dry - Indo-chinese starter

Gobi manchurian, only handful of, saint-like people would not love these cute lil deep fried florets in chinese flavors. My kiddos love them. This is a regular order whenever we eat outside. My lil one enjoys the dry version, whereas elder one prefers gravy. Two peas from the same pod, but totally different!

So, if you read my Chili paneer post, i have told that we are avoiding eating out in the restaurants. That eventually is giving me opportunities to try our restaurant favorites at home. Chinese being one of them, i was happy to try these recipes for our BM theme, adapted cuisines.

Gobi manchurian was made along with Paneer chili for our saturday meal. Which we relished along with some soft soft roti's. This can be served as a starter or snack or along a meal as a side. Either way you would love them. The tough job is frying the gobi, that too if you are making it for a crowd. If you cross that successfully, then sauteing them with flavors is a minute job.

Ingredients
For the frying the cauliflower
600 grams of cauliflower florets
½ cup Whole wheat flour
½ cup besan/gram flour
¼ cup rice flour
¼ cup corn flour
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon chili sauce
1 teaspoon red chili powder
½ teaspoon pepper powder
salt to taste
oil for deep frying
I dont use All purpose flour in my kitchen, so i have used a combination of flours for frying the cauliflower. You can use ¾ cup of all purpose flour and ¼ cup corn flour in place of the above flours!

For the saute
2 medium onions, finely chopped
¼ cup chopped spring onions
2 green chilies, slited lengthwise
2 fat cloves of garlic, minced
a small piece of ginger, finely chopped
2 teaspoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon tomato sauce ( i have use chili sauce)
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon freshly pounded black pepper
Fresh spring onions for garnish

Method
Let us fry the cauliflower first.

Take all the flours in a wide bowl, whisk well to combine. To thsi flour add red chili powder, pepper powder, soy sauce, chili sauce and around ½ cup to ¾ cup of water and make a thick batter.
The batter should be neither too thick or too thin, the florets should get well coated with the batter.
Clean and separate the cauliflower into bite-sized florets. Take water in a wide sauce pan and boil it. Once it comes to a rolling boil, remove it off the stove, add the florets to this water and let it sit for 2 minutes. Then drain the water completely, let the florets sit in the drainer until fried.
Dip each floret into the batter and deep fry until golden brown. Again take care while deep frying, do not crowd the pan, then you might not get crispy florets. Keep the flame medium, while frying. Too high you might burn them, too low it will turn soggy, so medium is the best. Drain the golden brown florets on to a kitchen towel. Repeat the same with the rest of the florets.

Let us saute the florets now

In a wide pan, heat oil, when it is hot, add chopped onions, chilies, garlic and ginger and saute until onions turn pink. Next add chopped spring onions to this and saute
Add soy sauce, tomato sauce and vinegar to this and mix well and saute on high heat. Now add the deep fried florets to this and toss to combine.
Finally finish off with pepper and fresh spring onions greens for garnish and take it off the stove.
Serve it warm along with rice or enjoy it as such as a starter.