The crispy and crunchy cauliflower Manchurian is a delightful alternative to the non-vegetarian version! Plus, this cauliflower Manchurian is vegan all the way!
Cauliflower Manchurian which is more popularly known as gobi Manchurian here in India is a well-loved delicacy across the country.
Since I have always been fond of Chinese flavors, this cauliflower Manchurian is one of my favorite snacks too!
There is something mysteriously addictive to all the Chinese sauces which mix and match among themselves to create an amazing result at the end.
This cauliflower Manchurian too is no exception which is why it is such a popular and frequently ordered dish in most of the take-away counters.
I am not sure if anything called cauliflower Manchurian or gobi Manchurian actually exists in Chinese cuisine; if not then this is a real example of Indo-Chinese fusion cuisine!
This gobi Manchurian is a great tasting quick-bite on-the-go; the crunchy cauliflower florets soak up the sauces so beautifully that you won’t be able to forget its lingering taste for a long time.
Cauliflower has taken the food blogging world by storm! People are going crazy for cauliflower everywhere. Starting from cauliflower rice to cauliflower pizza base; innovation is at its peak and I love it!
Cauliflower which is called ‘gobi’ in Hindi is already a popular vegetable in Indian cuisine.
The best quality cauliflower is available during winter season which is why you will see abundance of quintessential aloo gobi curry in Indian households during the colder months.
If anything is almost equally popular as the aloo gobi then that has to be this gobi Manchurian or cauliflower Manchurian which is typically savored as an evening snack.
The sweet & spicy Manchurian sauce clings to the crispy fried cauliflower florets creating an incredible combination of crispy yet melt-in-mouth texture! This is a must try for all Indo-Chinese food lovers!
It was a Friday evening; I was done with my day job for the day and all jazzed up for the weekend. Fridays are best for relaxing, don’t you think so?
While stretching my legs on the couch, I thought of catching up with the latest buzz in the food blog world before heading to the kitchen to prepare our dinner.
That is exactly when this stunning recipe of Cauliflower Manchurian popped up in front of me and I started wondering why hadn’t I tried making it ever before?
Cauliflower Manchurian is such a common dish which I see in the menu of almost every Chinese take-aways here in my city, but never bothered to give it a try!
How weird of me is that! That very Friday evening, I made this gorgeous cauliflower Manchurian for our dinner and as expected, it turned out way too addictive to save it for photo shoot! All gone!
Thankfully the very next day was a Saturday and I could make it again so that we can photograph it properly to share with you all!
You won’t mind to make this cauliflower Manchurian back to back days especially when you would realize how easy it is to make it at home.
Plus, with this recipe of Cauliflower Manchurian, you can do all the prep-work beforehand e.g. keep the florets fried and prepare the sauce a day ahead.
Then just toss everything up before serving. With that flexibility, this cauliflower Manchurian serves as a great party appetizer.
The best part of this recipe is that it is completely vegan! If you were looking for a vegan appetizer to serve at your next dinner party, your search ends here!
Serve this cauliflower Manchurian to your vegan friends and watch them go ga-ga over it! I can guarantee that they will love you for such an easy yet delicious vegan snack recipe.
Now it’s entirely upto you if you wanna share this recipe of cauliflower Manchurian with all or just keep it yourself as your own secret weapon!
Nevertheless, make this cauliflower Manchurian as many times as possible specially during winter when the caulis are at their best! Enjoy!
- Cauliflower florets – 250 gms
- Garlic – 8 to 10 cloves, finely chopped
- Ginger – 1-inch piece, finely chopped
- Green chilli – 2, finely chopped
- Vinegar – 1 tsp
- Tomato ketchup – 2 tbsp
- Light soy sauce – 2 tbsp
- Green chilli sauce – 1 tbsp
- Salt to taste
- Cornflour / cornstarch – 2 tbsp
- All-purpose flour (maida) – 2 tbsp
- Spring onion – 1, chopped with leaves
- Vegetable oil for deep frying
- Blanch the cauliflower florets in salted boiling water for exactly 2 minutes and drain. Immerse them in cold water immediately and leave it for five minutes. Then drain out all the water and set aside.
- Mix all-purpose flour, cornflour, half a teaspoon of salt and little water in a bowl to make a batter of coating consistency so that it adheres to the cauliflower florets.
- Heat enough oil in a deep pan for deep-frying.
- While the oil is being hot, dip the cauliflower florets in the batter and coat them well. Tip the coated cauliflowers into the hot oil and fry them on medium flame till they turn lightly golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Take them out and set aside on absorbent kitchen towel.
- Now take two tablespoons of oil in a wok and bring it to smoking hot.
- Add chopped ginger, garlic and chillies and sauté them for a minute on medium flame.
- Then add tomato ketchup, chilli sauce & soy sauce and stir continuously to mix everything well.
- Next add vinegar, half a cup of water and salt (keep in mind that all the sauces and ketch up also have salt in them, so add extra salt carefully) and cook for couple of minutes more.
- Add the fried cauliflower florets and toss them with the sauce for 2 to 3 minutes so that all the florets are well-coated with the Manchurian sauce.
- Garnish with chopped spring onion and serve the cauliflower Manchurian piping hot! Enjoy!
You may also like:
Crispy Vegan Cauliflower Fritters | Easy Vegan Cauliflower Snacks Recipe
The Humble Aloo Gobi | Vegan Potato & Cauliflower Curry
Vegan Five Spiced Roasted Cauliflower | Vegan Roasted Cauliflower Bites
Roasted Cauliflower Wings | Vegan Cauliflower Hot Wings Recipe
Tandoori Gobi | Tandoori Cauliflower
Best Ever Cauliflower Popcorn | Cauliflower Snacks Recipe
Can I make this ahead of time for a party
Can This be made a day ahead and still taste good
You can keep the cauliflower blanched a day ahead and leave it in refrigerator. If you fry them a day ahead, it will loose its crunch & crispiness next day and will not taste very good. So better to make it on the day of your party. Hope that helps. Enjoy your party!
This is the fifth time I am making this dish referring to your recipe and still it feels wonderful to the mouth thank you so much for this recipe
Thank you so much for your kind comment! We’r so glad you liked it! 🙂
Today I tried,nd came out very tasty!!!
Looks so good! Could you tell me the name or brand of the chili sauce you used?
Hi Aileen, I m glad you liked it! I generally use Ching’s Secret chilli sauce.
I made it today, it was so good. Thank you
Am glad that you liked it! 🙂
This looks incredible! Seriously, you’ve made me so hungry. 🙂 Pinned!
Thanks for your lovely comment Kristen! 🙂
The cauliflowers look yummy can’t wait to try them. Thank u for the recipe.
If I wanted to make it as a gravy how do I go about it?
Hi Ramya,
I’m glad you liked it! You can make a gravy by doubling the amount of sauces and adding more water. You can check out my Chilli paneer recipe for more detail.
http://www.flavorquotient.com/2014/06/chili-paneer/
will do Priyanka.. thank you.. I will check that out as well. 🙂