Cauliflower Manchurian Recipes

MANCHURIAN CAULIFLOWER

Steps:

• Put at least 2 inches of oil into a deep-sided, heavy-bottomed pot and bring to 350 degrees on a candy thermometer. (In a bind, put a pinch of flour into the pot; at 350 it will sizzle but won't burn.)
• In a bowl large enough to accommodate the cauliflower, whisk together the eggs and cornstarch. Season with a large pinch of salt and pepper and add the cauliflower. Toss to coat the florets evenly.
• Fry the cauliflower in batches, so as not to crowd the pan, making sure that the oil is hot each time you add fresh florets. Cook until the cauliflower begins to mottle, about 4 minutes, then transfer to paper towels to drain.
• Now take a tablespoon of the hot oil from the frying pot and place it in a large pan over medium heat, swirling to coat the pan. Add the garlic and fry until fragrant, then add the ketchup, stirring occasionally, until it begins to bubble and caramelize around the edges. Add cayenne pinch by pinch to taste and then the cauliflower. Toss until hot and coated. Serve with white rice and steamed greens, if desired.

GOBI MANCHURIAN RECIPE | CAULIFLOWER MANCHURIAN

Steps:

• Clean 250 grams of gobi and cut the florets to medium size.
• Add them to 3 cups of hot water and rest for 5 minutes.
• Later drain the gobi completely to a colander or spread on a clean cloth until no moisture remains on the gobi.
• You can do this ahead and set aside. Any moisture in the gobi will cook it to soft and not crisp.
• Heat up the oil for deep frying on a medium heat.
• Meanwhile make the batter by adding cornstarch, all-purpose flour, red chilli powder, black pepper and salt to a mixing bowl.
• Mix and add water little by little as needed and make a free flowing lump free batter. The consistency has to be medium and not too thick or very runny. Adjust salt as needed by tasting the batter. (check video)
• Then add the gobi florets to the batter in batches, coat them well.
• When the oil turns hot enough, check by dropping a small amount of batter to the hot oil. The batter has to rise without browning. This is the correct temperature.
• Pick up each cauliflower floret with a spoon or fingers & gently drop them one by one to the hot oil. The flame has to be medium initially and should be increased slightly as more gobi is added. Reduce the flame to medium and fry until the florets turn golden and crisp. Keep stirring in between for even frying.
• Drain them to a kitchen tissue or a steel colander. Repeat the same steps of adding the rest of the cauliflower florets to the batter, coating them well and then frying them in hot oil until crisp.
• For extra crisp gobi manchurian, you can also refry the once fried gobi again in oil. I usually do not do it as frying them once is good enough to get very good crisp manchurian with this recipe.
• Mix together red chili powder with little water to a paste and keep aside. This step is optional and is used mainly for the red color.
• Heat 1½ tablespoons oil in a wide pan.
• When the oil turns hot, add garlic, ginger and green chilies. Saute for a minute or two.
• Then add spring onions & capsicum. Saute them on a high flame for 2 mins.
• Add soya sauce, red chili sauce, tomato ketchup, red chili paste, sugar and vinegar. (for gravy version refer the notes section below).
• Mix and add water. Mix and cook stirring and add pepper.
• Cook on a medium heat until the sauce thickens.
• Turn off the stove and check the taste.
• The sauce has to be slightly sour, sweet & hot. If needed you can adjust the salt & add more sauces as well.
• Allow the sauce to cool for 1 to 2 mins.
• Add the fried cauliflower and stir gently to coat the gobi well with the manchurian sauce.
• Garnish gobi manchurian with spring onion greens.
• Serve immediately as a appetizer or as a side with noodles or fried rice.

CAULIFLOWER MANCHURIAN

Steps:

• Wash and drain cauliflower florets.
• Make a batter of six tablespoons of cornstarch, green chillies and spring onions adding salt to taste.
• Dissolve the remaining two tablespoons of cornstarch in quarter cup of water and keep aside for sauce.
• Heat sufficient oil in a kadai.
• Dip each cauliflower floret in the prepared batter and deep fry till golden brown. Remove and drain onto an absorbent paper.
• To make the sauce, heat two tablespoons of oil in a pan and gently fry the garlic paste and the ginger paste.
• Add the chopped capsicum and onion.
• Stir in the soya sauce and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for two minutes.
• Add the vinegar, MSG, sugar and adjust salt to taste.
• Stir in the dissolved cornstarch and cook stirring continuously till the mixture thickens and starts bubbling.
• Add the fried cauliflower florets.
• Mix well to coat and cook for two minutes more.

MANCHURIAN CAULIFLOWER

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350° F. Measure out all the spices onto a sheet pan. Place the pan in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes until the spices begin to slightly smoke and turn a little brown. Remove the pan from the oven and set aside to cool. When the spices are fully cooled, grind them in a spice grinder in batches, until all spices are completely ground. Mix them well and keep in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks.
• Remove the outer green leaves and stems from the cauliflower, and cut the head down the middle in an X to make four wedges. Lay the wedges cut-side down and make thin cross-sectional slices of each piece. After cutting a cauliflower wedge about halfway, turn the piece and chop the rest of the wedge into bite-size florets. This cutting technique provides different textures of cauliflower.
• Peel the carrot and cut it on the bias into thin slices about 2 inches long.
• Halve and peel the onion. Cut half moon slices of onion.
• Mix all the vegetables together and season with the Mustard Fenugreek Masala, black salt, chili powder, and kosher salt. Set the vegetables aside for 2 to 4 hours.
• Combine the tomato paste, sugar, vinegar, ginger, and chili powder in a medium saucepan on medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat.
• Combine the flour and cornstarch in a large bowl. Pour 5 cups of water into the bowl a cup at a time and mix with a large whisk until a thick runny pancake batter consistency is reached.
• Heat the oil for deep-frying to 300°F in a heavy-bottom pot. Check the temperature with a thermometer. Dip the cauliflower mix into the batter in batches and drop into the hot oil. Use a mesh "spider" or slotted spoon to move the cauliflower mixture around to keep it from forming large clumps. When the mixture begins to lightly brown-about 3 minutes-remove and place the cauliflower on paper towels to drain any excess oil. Continue cooking the cauliflower mixture in batches. Compost any excess batter.
• Increase the heat in the fryer to 375°F. Check the temperature with a thermometer. Drop the fried cauliflower mix back into the hot oil for about 5 minutes, until golden brown and crispy. Remove the cauliflower from the oil. In batches, toss the cauliflower mix in a metal bowl with the sweet and sour sauce. Garnish with the cilantro.

ROASTED MANCHURIAN CAULIFLOWER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425. Combine first 3 ingredients and 1 t oil in large bowl; toss well. Place cauliflower mixture in an 11x7 baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425 for 20 minute.
• Heat remaining oil in medium nonstick skillet over med-high. Add black pepper and saute 1 minute Add garlic; saute 30 seconds. Stir in ketchup; cook 2 min, stirring occasionally . Stir red pepper; reduce heat and simmer 3 min or til thick.
• Remove cauliflower mixture from oven. Stir in ketchup mixture. Bake at 425 an additional 20 min or til cauliflower is tender, stirring after 10 minute.