1 June, 2018
Gobi Manchurian – Spicy Cauliflower “Wings”
A great treat from India (“Chinese style Cauliflower”), great with an icy cold beer. Think spicy Cauliflower “wings”.
Ingredients
Batter
- Flour, all purpose || 5 Tbsp
- Corn Starch || 3 Tbsp
- Salt || 1/4 tsp
- Pepper || 1/2 tsp
- Water || 1/4 cup plus a bit (i.e., ~3 oz)
Sauce
- Olive oil || 1 Tbsp
- Onion || 1/2 onion, finely diced
- Jalapeno Pepper || 1/2 to whole, || Or other spicy pepper you like
- Garlic || 4-5 cloves
- Tomato sauce || 2 Tbsp
- Sugar or Agave || 1/2 tsp
- Red chili sauce || 2-3 Tbsp
- Vinegar (Rice wine or white) || 2 tsp
- Tamari or Soy Sauce || 4 tsp
- Corn Starch || 2 tsp
- Green onions || 2 stalks, sliced in thin disks || Garnish
Cauliflower / Gobi
- Cauliflower || 1/2 to 1 head, in bite-size florets || (or a prepared bag from the grocery works, too)
- Oil for deep frying (I use a frying pan with a shallow amount of oil when frying.. is that “shallow frying”)
Steps
Batter
- Combine Flour, Corn Starch, Salt, Pepper, Water in small bowl until there are no lumps.
Sauce
- Heat Oil in medium saute plan / skillet.
- Saute Onions, Chile Peppers, Garlic until Onions are brown.
- Add Tomato Sauce, Agave, Chili sauce (aka spicy ketchup), cook for 1 -2 mins more.
- Add Tamari and Vinegar, mix well.
- In a cup, blend Corn Starch and Water, add to sauce. Cook 1-2 mins more, until sauce thickens.
- Remove from heat, and set aside
Cauliflower / Gobi
- Dip Cauliflower pieces in the batter to coat.
- Deep fry in batches until the Cauliflower pieces start to brown.
- Remove to wire sieve or other method to drain.
- Add all the fried Cauliflower to the warm Sauce, toss and coat well.
- Add Green Onions and serve immediately.
Notes
- I have used various bottled sauces (Szechuan, Gochujang, etc.) or your favorite Buffalo or other spicy wing sauce. Forget about making a sauce, prep the battered gobi, toss in a bottled / prepared sauce, server and enjoy.
References
- I can’t recall the name of the place, but I was introduced to Gobi Manchurian when a buddy and I were wandering around Bangalore on a very hot, dusty day in 2009 or so. By early afternoon we were parched, very thirsty. He took me into a British style pub he frequented during university. They had American style pitchers of icy, icy cold beer. And, announced on the placard on the table, the daily spacial of “Gobi Manchurian”. No idea what it was, but on my buddy’s assurance that it went quite well with cold beer, we got an order. It … was .. fantastic! And the experience led to me experimenting with cauliflower in all kind of “chicken” dishes. Oven roasted or pan seared, it’s great in so many dishes.