Gobi Manchurian

Method

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1. Blanch the florets in boiling salted water for 2 minutes, drain, and dry on a cloth.

   Mark done Start 2 min timer

2. Whisk the cornflour, plain flour, chilli powder, pepper, salt and water into a batter the thickness of double cream.

   Mark done

3. Heat the oil to 180C.

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4. Coat the florets in batter and fry in three batches for 4 minutes each, until deep gold. Drain on a rack.

   Mark done Start 4 min timer

5. Pour all but 2 tbsp of oil from the pan.

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6. Fry the garlic, ginger, chillies and onion over a high heat for 90 seconds.

   Mark done Start 90 sec timer

7. Add the soy, ketchup, vinegar and sugar and bring to the boil.

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8. Stir the slurry and pour it in, stirring, until the sauce turns glossy — about 20 seconds.

   Mark done

9. Add the fried cauliflower and toss for 45 seconds.

   Mark done Start 45 sec timer

10. Scatter the spring onions over and serve at once.

    Mark done

Chef’s Tips

• Blanch first, then batter. It is the whole trick.
• Dry the florets or the batter slides off.
• A rack, not paper, so the underside stays crisp.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• Out of spring onions? A small regular onion, finely sliced, or a few chives stirred in at the end both cover the job.
• A pinch of dried chilli flakes works in place of fresh chilli — start with about a third of the quantity the green chillies in the list implies, since dried chilli is more concentrated, and add more to taste.
• A quarter-teaspoon of ground ginger per tablespoon of fresh is the standard ratio if you are working from the spice rack rather than a fresh root.

Pairing Suggestions

• Hakka noodles
• Schezwan fried rice
• Chilli paneer

Storage & Reheating

Eat immediately. The sauce softens the crust within minutes.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.