Gobi Manchurian (Air Fry and Deep Fry Methods)

If you're craving a delicious and satisfying Indo-Chinese dish, look no further than Gobi Manchurian. This delightful Indian recipe combines the crispiness of fried cauliflower florets with a flavorful and tangy sauce, making it a favorite among vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike.

Gobi Manchurian is easy to prepare and makes the perfect appetizer or side dish. You’ll love how it gives your taste buds a blend of sweet, spicy, and tangy flavors.

In this easy-to-follow recipe, I'll guide you through the simple steps to prepare delicious Gobi Manchurian. You can choose between air frying or deep frying the cauliflower florets to your liking. Additionally, I'll provide some handy tips to ensure your Gobi Manchurian bursts with taste, and how it can be customized to your preferences.

Serve this Gobi Manchurian with Indian-style rice for a delightful meal.

Jump to:

• What is Gobi Manchurian
• Ingredients
• How to Make Gobi Manchurian
• Variations
• Tips
• Storage
• Reheat
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

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What is Gobi Manchurian

Gobi Manchurian is a delicious Indo-Chinese dish where cauliflower pieces are coated in a crispy layer and then tossed in a zesty, spicy gravy. You can spot this tasty dish on the appetizer menu at Indian restaurants.

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Ingredients

Here are the ingredients for Gobi Manchurian along with their purposes in the dish.

1.     Cauliflower Florets: The main ingredient for the dish, providing the crispy texture.

2.     Oil: I used vegetable oil for frying the cauliflower, ensuring it's crispy.

3.     To prepare the Gobi Manchurian gravy, I combined Indian red chili powder, low-sodium soy sauce, sugar, sriracha, green onion, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, green chili, salt, black pepper, ginger, and garlic. This combination adds savory depth, aromatic, tangy, sweet, slightly spicy, and sour flavors to the dish while enhancing its heat and providing an authentic touch.

4. To make the Gobi Manchurian batter, I combined cornstarch, all-purpose flour, water, salt, and black pepper, creating a crispy coating for the cauliflower.

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How to Make Gobi Manchurian

Here are easy steps to make Gobi Manchurian at home:

1.     Prepare the Cauliflower Florets for Frying:

• Cut the cauliflower into medium-sized bite-sized pieces, approximately 2 inches each, and rinse them well.
• Blanch the cauliflower florets in hot salted water over high heat for about 1-2 minutes, depending on the size of your cauliflower florets.
• Transfer the blanched florets immediately to ice-cold water to halt the cooking process.
• Use a clean towel to thoroughly drain the cauliflower florets.

2.     Prepare the Sauce:

• In a medium-sized pan, heat oil over high heat and sauté the garlic and ginger until fragrant.
• Add green onion and jalapeño. Cook until softened, which takes about 2 minutes.
• Stir in soy sauce, sriracha, ketchup, sugar, vinegar, Indian red chili powder, and water.
• Reduce the heat to medium-high and continue cooking until the sauce thickens.
• Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

3.     Frying the Cauliflower:

• Preheat the air fryer to 390°F (or use the deep-frying method).
• In a bowl, combine cornstarch, all-purpose flour, salt, black pepper, and Indian red chili powder. Stir to combine.
• Slowly add water to the mixture, stirring until you achieve a smooth batter.
• Dip each cauliflower floret into the batter, allowing any excess to drip off.
• Grease the air fryer basket with oil and place the battered cauliflower florets in a single layer.
• Spray the cauliflower with oil to help them crisp up.
• In the air fryer, cook the cauliflower for approximately 15 minutes, flipping them halfway through the cooking process, until they become crispy.
• Alternatively, you can deep fry the cauliflower in hot oil (375°F) until crispy.

4.     Combining the Sauce and Cauliflower:

• In a mixing bowl, combine the fried cauliflower with the prepared gravy. Mix thoroughly to ensure that the florets are fully coated by the gravy.

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Variations

1. Vinegar: You can use different types of vinegar as a substitute, such as white vinegar, rice wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar. Keep in mind that the acidity levels of these vinegars can vary, so you may need to adjust the quantity to achieve your desired taste. Different brands can have different acidity levels too. For that reason, always start with a small amount of vinegar and gradually add more carefully to reach the desired flavor balance in your Gobi Manchurian sauce.

2. Red Chili Powder: If you don't have Indian red chili powder on hand, you can replace it with cayenne pepper, which can provide a similar level of spiciness and flavor.

3. Green Chili or Jalapeno: To customize the spice level to your preference, consider the following substitutions. For a milder result, use green bell peppers instead of green chili, which take off the heat but give a fresh, crunchy texture to the dish.

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Tips

These tips will help you prepare delicious and perfectly balanced Gobi Manchurian that nails the perfect texture and suits your taste preferences.

Here are some important tips for adjusting and ensuring the success of your Gobi Manchurian.

1. Adjusting the Spice Level: If you're uncertain about the level of spiciness you desire for your Gobi Manchurian, consider skipping the red chili powder and substituting the green chili with green bell pepper. This allows you to customize the heat according to your taste preferences.

2. Fresh Cauliflower: Always use fresh cauliflower for the best results in taste and texture. Avoid substituting it with frozen cauliflower.

3. Blanching Cauliflower: Ensure not to over-blanch the cauliflower. Quick blanch the cauliflower florets for approximately 1-2 minutes (adjusting for the floret size) until they slightly soften. This step also helps to maintain the right texture.

4. Draining Cauliflower: Ensure you drain the cauliflower florets and eliminate any extra moisture using clean paper towels or kitchen towels.

5. Uniform Floret Size: When cutting the cauliflower, aim for equal-sized bite pieces. Avoid cutting them too small or too large to ensure they cook uniformly and at the same rate.

6. Batter Consistency: Pay attention to the consistency of the batter you create for coating the cauliflower. It should be smooth and thick enough to adhere to the florets but not so thick that it forms a clumpy coating.

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Storage

Dispose of any Gobi Manchurian left outside the fridge too long. If they've been at room temperature for more than 2 hours in mild weather, or just 1 hour in very hot conditions over 90°F, they're no longer safe to eat. For additional food safety guidelines, refer to the provided resource.

• After cooking, let the Gobi Manchurian cool at room temperature for a maximum of 2 hours.
• Store any leftovers in an airtight container.
• When stored correctly, cooked Gobi Manchurian can remain fresh in the fridge for 3-5 days or in the freezer for up to 5 months.

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Reheat

Here's how for reheating fried cauliflower in an oven or air fryer:

Oven:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Place the leftover fried cauliflower and sauce in an oven-safe dish or on a baking sheet.
3. Heat in the preheated oven for about 10-15 minutes or until the cauliflower is heated through.

Air Fryer:

1. Preheat your air fryer to 350°F (175°C).
2. Place the leftover fried cauliflower and sauce in the air fryer basket.
3. If you have a small air fryer, you may need to reheat in batches for even cooking.
4. Heat in the air fryer for about 5-7 minutes, shaking the basket or flipping the cauliflower halfway through.

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Check Out More Air Fryer Recipes

• Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks
• Air Fryer Cashew Nuts
• Air Fryer Fried Chicken
• Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Wings

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I hope you'll enjoy this recipe and share it with friends! If you try it and don’t mind, please leave me a comment and/or give this recipe a rating. Be sure to subscribe to receive weekly recipes and follow me on Pinterest.

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