Gobi Manchurian

Who can resist the golden fried cauliflowers in a mouthwatering tangy spicy sauce?  I am sure no one can avoid this when you go to an Indo chinese place. However hard I try, I cannot skip this as an appetizer when I go to an Indo-chinese place.There are many street food vendors who are experts in this as well. During my college days, my hungry tummy will more often drag me to one of the street food vendors who makes this delicious manchurian.

Ingredients for the fry:

1. Cauliflower - 1 large head broken into small florets

2. All purpose flour / Maida - 1 cup

3. Corn flour - 1/2 cup

4. Soy sauce - 1 tablespoon

5. Salt - as needed

6. Ginger garlic paste - 1 tablespoon

7. Pepper powder - 1 teaspoon

8. Oil - to deep fry

Ingredients for the sauce:


1. Onion - 1 medium finely chopped
2. Garlic - 1/4 cup minced
3. Ginger - 1/3 cup grated
4. Pure sesame oil - 3 tablespoons
5. Soy sauce - 3 tablespoons
6. Sweet chilli sauce - 3 teaspoons
7. Tomato paste - 1/3 cup
8. Green chilli - 4 slitted
9. Salt - as needed
10. Corn starch - 2 teaspoons


Method:


For the fry:


In a a wide vessel of hot salted water, add the cauliflower florets. Let it come to a boil . The florets should still be crunchy and should not turn soft.Remove from heat, drain the water and pat dry all the florets with a paper towel and keep it aside. Mix all the ingredients under the ingredients for the fry section except the cauliflower. Make a thick paste adding little water at a time. Dip the florets into this paste to coat it entirely and deep fry the florets till they turn golden brown. Do not over crowd the frying pan as the florets will stick to each other.


For the sauce:


In a hot wide wok/ pan , add the sesame oil. Add onions, ginger, garlic and green chillies. Saute till the raw smell goes away. Stir in the soy sauce, sweet chilli sauce, tomato paste and salt if needed. Soy sauce will already contain salt. So make sure you taste the sauce before adding salt. Let it come to a boil. Mix corn starch with 1/3 cup of water and add it to the sauce. Wait till the sauce gets thick.


Combine the fried cauliflower to this sauce and give it a gentle stir so that the sauce covers all the fried pieces. Let it stand in the wok for a couple of minutes. Remove from the wok and garnish it with spring onions. I didn't have spring onions. So used cilantro.


Serve with your favorite fried rice.