Gobi Manchurian is a popular Indian-Chinese appetizer made with batter-coated, crispy fried cauliflower tossed in a spicy, slightly sweet, umami sauce. The sauce is prepared with spring onions, capsicum, green chillies, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and tomato ketchup. The dry version is most commonly served in Chinese restaurants as a starter or snack. While it can also be made with gravy, the dry version is more widely prepared and ordered.
About This Gobi Manchurian Recipe
In Hindi, gobi means cauliflower. Manchurian refers to the Indo-Chinese style sauce made by sautéing spring onions, capsicum, green chillies, ginger, and garlic, then seasoning it with soy sauce, tomato ketchup, and chilli sauce.
In simple terms, Gobi Manchurian recipe is made by coating cauliflower florets in a lightly seasoned all-purpose flour batter, frying them until crisp, and then tossing them in this flavorful sauce.
Table of Contents
The addition of tomato ketchup gives the sauce mild sweetness, which makes it different from Chilli Gobi or Chilli Paneer, where the heat is sharper and green chillies are used more generously.
This Gobi Manchurian recipe focuses on the dry version, which is usually served as an appetizer or starter snack. It is the most popular way Gobi Manchurian is eaten in restaurants.
The gravy version is less common, but if you want to make it, you can add some water or vegetable stock along with a little cornstarch slurry to the same sauce to create a thick gravy.
I keep my Gobi Manchurian dry recipe moderately spiced and not overly hot like many street-style versions. You can easily adjust the heat by increasing the green chillies, ginger, and garlic to suit your taste.
The cauliflower florets can be deep fried or pan fried after dipping them in the batter. I usually pan-fry to reduce oil, though deep frying gives a crispier texture. For extra crispiness, cut the florets into smaller pieces before frying.
Restaurant-style Gobi Manchurian often has a bright red color due to added food color. At home, you can get a natural orange-red shade by using Kashmiri red chilli powder or deghi mirch. These also add mild heat and a gentle smoky note.
I do not add MSG or ajinomoto in my Indo-Chinese recipes. If you like the street-style taste, you can add a small pinch.
Use a good-quality naturally fermented soy sauce, as it makes a noticeable difference in flavor. Tamari or liquid aminos also work well.
Serve Gobi Manchurian hot with Schezwan Sauce, chilli garlic sauce, or tomato ketchup. It also works well as a filling for wraps made with Roti, Naan or Paratha along with shredded vegetables and your choice of sauce or spread.
More Manchurian Recipes To Try
How to Make Gobi Manchurian
Rinse & Blanch Cauliflower
1. Firstly chop or break 1 small or medium sized cauliflower (gobi) into medium or small florets.
Rinse the cauliflower florets a few times thoroughly in water. Drain all the water and set aside.
2. Bring salted water to a boil using 3 cups water and ½ teaspoon salt. Add the rinsed cauliflower florets to the boiling water.
Cover and blanch the cauliflower florets for 3 to 4 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
Tip: Make sure there is no water or moisture on the florets before battering and frying them. After draining, spread the florets on a tray or plate and let them air-dry for a few minutes.
Note: Blanching is optional. You can skip this step if the cauliflower is fresh and free from insects or worms.
Make Batter
3. To make the batter add the following ingredients in a mixing bowl:
- 1 cup of all-purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons of cornflour or cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste or 1 teaspoon minced ginger-garlic
- ¼ teaspoon of black pepper powder
- ½ teaspoon of kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon of soy sauce
- salt to taste
4. Add 1 cup of water to the bowl and whisk to make a smooth lump-free batter with a medium flowing consistency.
5. Add the cauliflower florets to the batter. Make sure the florets are completely dry and free from any moisture before coating them.
6. Mix well so the batter coats each cauliflower floret evenly.
Pan Fry Cauliflower Florets
7. Fry the batter-coated cauliflower florets in hot oil. I added 6 tablespoons of oil while pan-frying. Alternatively, you can deep or shallow fry the florets to make them crispier.
I fried mine in batches of three because I used a small pan but feel free to fry them all at once if you have a larger pan. Patience is key when it comes to frying the florets as it can take some time.
Tip: Make sure that there is some space between each floret when frying to ensure that they cook evenly and don’t stick together.
8. Once one side is cooked and crisp, flip over the floret and pan fry the uncooked side. Flip a few more times until the florets are evenly fried and golden in color.
9. Drain the excess oil from the fried cauliflower florets on paper towels. Similarly fry the remaining batter coated florets in batches.
Make Gobi Manchurian
10. After pan-frying the cauliflower, you will have some oil left in the same pan. If your ginger, garlic, and green chillies are already prepped, lower the heat and add them straight to the pan.
If not, switch off the heat, chop them, then return the pan to low to medium heat and continue.
Add 3 teaspoons of finely chopped ginger, 3 teaspoons of finely chopped garlic and 1 teaspoon of finely chopped green chilies.
Mix and sauté for a few seconds.
11. Next add ¾ cup of chopped spring onion whites (scallion whites) and ½ cup of finely chopped capsicum (green bell pepper).
Increase the heat slightly and stir fry until the capsicum is half cooked.
Tip: If you are using celery, then add at this step. You can add about 1 tablespoon of finely chopped celery.
12. When the onions soften, add 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup and 1 teaspoon spicy chilli sauce (green or red) or red chilli paste. Mix well.
Tip: Use a spicy chilli sauce, not a sweet one. You can use red chilli sauce, green chilli sauce, or sriracha.
Note: Adjust the quantity of chilli sauce or chilli paste to suit your spice preference.
13. Add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and ¼ to ½ teaspoons of black pepper powder, ¼ to ½ teaspoon sugar (optional) and salt according to taste.
Mix again. Feel free to add less or more of the seasonings depending on your preference.
14. Add the pan-fried cauliflower florets.
15. Mix and toss them quickly until the sauce and cauliflower florets are well combined. The manchurian sauce must coat the fried gobi evenly.
Add 1 teaspoon of rice vinegar or ½ teaspoon of white vinegar or apple cider vinegar then stir well.
Switch off the heat. Mix in chopped spring onions greens or garnish when serving.
16. Serve Gobi Manchurian hot. Garnish with some spring onion greens while serving.
Serving & Storage
Serve Gobi Manchurian as an appetizer or snack. It also goes well as a side dish with steamed rice, Veg Fried Rice, Schezwan Fried Rice, Mushroom Noodles or Veg Noodles.
You can pair it with Schezwan Sauce, Chilli Garlic Chutney, Momos Chutney, or tomato ketchup on the side.
Gobi Manchurian tastes best when eaten fresh. If needed, refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 1 day.
Reheat in a pan or air fryer to bring back some crispiness. Avoid reheating in the microwave, as the cauliflower turns chewy and dense.
Dassana’s Recipe Tips
- Dry the cauliflower well: After washing or blanching, make sure the florets are completely dry before dipping them in batter. Any moisture on the cauliflower will thin the batter and reduce crispiness.
- Toss quickly on high heat: Once the fried cauliflower is added to the sauce, toss it quickly on high heat. This helps coat the florets evenly without making them soggy and keeps the Manchurian dry and crisp.
- Frying: After dipping the cauliflower in batter, you can pan fry, shallow fry, or deep fry. Pan frying uses less oil, while deep frying gives the crispiest texture.
- Soy sauce: Soy sauce is essential for umami flavor in the gobi manchurian recipe. Use a good-quality naturally fermented soy sauce. You can also use tamari or Bragg liquid aminos.
- Oil temperature: The oil must be moderately hot for crisp florets. If the oil is not hot enough, the cauliflower will absorb oil and turn soggy. Test by frying one battered floret. It should sizzle and turn golden.
- Batter consistency: The batter should be smooth, flowing and having a medium consistency. A very thick batter makes the coating doughy, while a very thin batter gives an uneven coating that does not crisp properly.
- Street style flavor: I do not use MSG or ajinomoto. If you prefer street-style taste, add a small pinch.
Cooking Queries
Can I bake the florets instead of frying them?
Yes, but they will not be as crispy. Blanch the cauliflower, toss with a dry mix of flour and spices, arrange on a lined tray, spray lightly with oil, and bake at 200°C (390°F) for 10 to 12 minutes or until done.
What can I do with leftover batter?
Use it to coat potatoes, mushrooms, french beans, broccoli, or paneer and fry until crisp.
What can you eat Gobi Manchurian with?
Serve as a snack or side dish with steamed rice, fried rice, or stir fried noodles.
Step by Step Photo Guide Above
Gobi Manchurian Recipe (Crispy Cauliflower Manchurian)
Ingredients
For Frying Cauliflower
- 1 cauliflower – small to medium head
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (maida)
- 4 tablespoons cornstarch (known as cornflour in India)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder (ground black pepper)
- ½ teaspoon kashmiri chilli powder or deghi mirch (can add about 1 teaspoon to get a good color, but this will also increase the heat a bit)
- 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste or 1 teaspoon minced ginger-garlic
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce – naturally brewed
- 1 cup water or add as required
- 5 to 6 tablespoons oil – or add as needed, for pan frying
More Ingredients
- 3 teaspoons or 1.5 inches ginger – finely chopped
- 3 teaspoons or 8 to 10 medium-sized cloves of garlic – finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon or 2 green chillies – finely chopped
- ¾ cup spring onion whites – chopped (scallion whites), reserve the greens for garnish
- ½ cup capsicum – finely chopped (green bell pepper)
- 1 tablespoon celery – finely chopped, optional
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or add as per your taste
- 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup or add as required
- 1 teaspoon red chilli sauce or green chilli sauce or red chilli paste, spicy and not sweet
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar or ½ teaspoon white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon black pepper powder (ground black pepper)
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon sugar – optional
- salt as required
- 2 to 3 tablespoons spring onions greens – finely chopped, for garnish
Instructions
Preparing Cauliflower Florets
- Chop or break the cauliflower into small to medium florets.
- Rinse the florets well and drain.
- Bring 3 cups water with ½ teaspoon salt to a boil. Switch off the heat and add the cauliflower florets.
- Blanch for 4 to 5 minutes. Drain and spread the florets on a tray or plate to air-dry for a few minutes.
Pan Frying Cauliflower Florets
- In a bowl, mix all-purpose flour, cornstarch, soy sauce, black pepper, ginger-garlic paste, Kashmiri red chilli powder, and salt.
- Add water and whisk to make a smooth, medium-consistency batter.
- Add the cauliflower florets and mix until evenly coated.
- Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
- Gently place the batter-coated florets in the pan and pan-fry in batches.
- When one side turns crisp, flip the cauliflower florets and pan-fry the other sides.
- Turn the florets as needed and fry until crisp and golden on all sides.
- Drain on kitchen paper towels. Fry all the florets the same way.
Making Gobi Manchurian
- In the same pan, use the remaining oil and heat it over low to medium-low heat. Add finely chopped ginger, garlic, and green chillies. Sauté briefly until aromatic.
- Add chopped spring onion whites, capsicum, and celery (if using). Increase the heat slightly and stir-fry until the capsicum is half-cooked.
- Add soy sauce, tomato ketchup, spicy chilli sauce, black pepper, sugar, and salt. Mix well.
- Add the pan-fried cauliflower florets and toss until evenly coated with the sauce.
- Add rice vinegar, mix well, and switch off the heat. Adjust seasoning if needed.
- Garnish with spring onion greens.
- Serve Gobi Manchurian hot as a snack or as a side dish with veg fried rice, mushroom fried rice, hakka noodles or veg noodles.
Video
Dassana’s Notes
- Capsicum (Bell Pepper): You can skip the capsicum in the recipe. You can even use red or yellow bell peppers.
- Spring Onions: Instead of spring onions, you can use white onions or red onions or shallots.
- Green Chillies: A serrano pepper or anaheim pepper can be substituted for green chillies. You can even substitute dry red chillies instead of green chillies. Just crush them and use. Dried red chilli flakes can also be added instead of green chillies.
- Cornstarch: Instead of cornstarch, you can even use tapioca starch or potato starch.
- All-purpose flour: Whole wheat flour can be used instead of all purpose flour (maida).
- Frying: Fry the cauliflower florets in oil which is neither too hot nor at a low temperature.
- Ajinomoto: You can choose to avoid Ajinomoto completely in the recipe or use it sparingly.
Nutrition
Gobi Manchurian recipe from the archives was first published on September 2014.