Crispy Gobi Manchurian

• 400 g cauliflower
• 2 tbsp garlic, chopped
• 1 tbsp green chili, chopped
• ½ cup spring onion, chopped
• ¼ cup onion, chopped
• ⅓ cup capsicum, chopped
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
• ¼ cup corn flour
• ¼ cup all purpose flour
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• 3 tbsp green chili sauce
• ¼ cup tomato ketchup
• 1 tsp red chili sauce
• 1½ tsp red chili powder
• ½ tsp black pepper powder
• salt, to taste
• cooking oil
• rice flour
• 1 tbsp corn flour, mixed with water into slurry

Preparation

1. Step 1

   1:32
   Cut one large head of cauliflower into small even-sized florets. Wash the florets.
2. Step 2 · 2 minutes

   1:48
   Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add a little salt and the cauliflower florets. Boil for 2 minutes only until lightly softened. Do not overcook. Drain and let cool completely.
3. Step 3

   2:23
   While the cauliflower cools, prepare the batter: In a bowl combine 1/4 cup corn flour, 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, optional rice flour, 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder, salt to taste, 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste, and 1/4 tsp black pepper powder. Mix well, then gradually add water to make a thick batter (not too thin).
4. Step 4

   3:23
   Add the cooled cauliflower florets to the batter and mix to coat evenly. Sprinkle a little dry all-purpose flour or corn flour over the florets and toss gently so they become lightly coated and dry on the surface (this helps create a crispy crust).
5. Step 5 · 3-4 minutes

   4:26
   Heat cooking oil in a deep pan or kadai until hot. Add the coated cauliflower in batches. Fry on medium to medium-high flame for 3-4 minutes until golden, crispy, and the crust looks crunchy. Do not overcrowd. Adjust flame if oil temperature drops or rises too high. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining florets.
6. Step 6

   5:38
   Prepare the sauce ingredients: finely chop garlic, green chili, spring onion (white and green parts separated), onion, and capsicum. In a small bowl mix 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp vinegar, 3 tbsp green chili sauce, 1/4 cup tomato ketchup, 1 tsp red chili sauce, 1/2 tsp red chili powder, salt to taste, and 1/2 tsp black pepper powder. Separately mix 1 tbsp corn flour with a little water to make a slurry.
7. Step 7 · 1 minute

   6:34
   Heat 1-2 tbsp oil in a pan or wok. Add chopped green chili and garlic; stir-fry on high or medium flame until aromatic but not overly browned. Add chopped onion and capsicum; stir-fry for about 1 minute, keeping the vegetables slightly crunchy.
8. Step 8

   7:11
   Add the prepared sauce mixture to the pan. Stir in tomato ketchup if not already combined, 1/2 tsp red chili powder, salt to taste, 1/2 tsp black pepper powder, and 1 tsp red chili sauce. Mix well on high flame. Add most of the chopped spring onion greens. Stir in the corn-flour slurry. Add 3-4 tbsp water if needed to keep the sauce from becoming too thick (for dry manchurian). Bring to a boil.
9. Step 9

   8:03
   Add the fried cauliflower to the bubbling sauce. Toss quickly on high flame to coat evenly. Do not cook further or the crispiness will be lost. Turn off the heat immediately. Garnish with remaining chopped spring onion greens and green chili if desired.
10. Step 10

    8:40
    Serve the crispy gobi manchurian immediately while hot, garnished with spring onion greens.