Ingredients

1. Cauliflower florets - 200 gms

For the batter

2. Maida (plain flour) - 2 to 3 tbsp
3. Corn flour – 3 tbsp
4. Dark soya sauce - 1/2 tsp
5. Salt - if required
6. White pepper powder - 1/4 tsp
7. Water – 1/3 cup or less than that

For the sauce

8. Oil (vegetable oil, sunflower oil or groundnut oil) - 2 tbsp
9. Garlic cloves (chopped) - 3
10. Ginger - 1 tsp
11. Green chillies (chopped) – 3
12. White pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
13. Spring onion (chopped) – 2
14. Sugar - 1 tsp
15. Salt - a pinch
16. Ajinomoto - 1/2 tsp
17. Chilli garlic sauce – 2 tbsp
18. Tomato ketchup – 2 tbsp
19. Water – 200 to 250 ml or 1 cup
20. Vegetable stock (Knorr) - 1 cube
21. Corn starch – 1 tsp corn flour + 1/4 cup water
22. Dark soya sauce – 1 1/2 tbsp

Method

Batter and deep frying

1. Cut the cauliflower into florets, wash, drain and keep it aside.
2. Take a wide plate (will be easy to marinate) and add maida, rice flour, corn flour, salt, ajinomoto and pepper powder. Mix well and then add egg. Mix well to make a thick paste. If it is too dry add a little water and mix well.
3. Add cauliflower florets to the paste and mix well.
4. If the cauliflower is not coated well, then add more corn flour powder and sprinkle some water on top and mix well.
5. Deep fry the cauliflower in batches and keep it aside. It will become light brown in colour and will really cook very quickly.

Sauce

6. Chop all the vegetables and keep it aside. I have used chopped green chillies. If you want you can cut the chillies diagonally. I have used both green and the white parts of the spring onions.
7. Heat oil in a wide pan or kadai. When it is warm add ginger, garlic and stir for about a couple of seconds before adding the chopped green chillies, spring onions and stock cube. Stir well for about 30 secs to 1 min. Keep stirring on a medium flame until the spring onions are lightly cooked but not burnt.
8. Add all the sauces, sugar, white pepper powder and stir quickly for about 30 secs. Add about 1/4 cup of water immediately into it and cook.
9. When the sauce boils and thickens after say 2 to 3 mins, add ajinomoto or MSG, salt if required and stir well.
10. Add remaining water for the gravy and mix well. Keep stirring so that it does not stick to the pan. Let it cook for a while until you get to a sauce consistency. It will take about 3 to 4 mins.
11. When the sauce is reduced or cooked, add corn starch (corn flour + 1/4 cup water) and mix well. Cook for a few minutes so that the rawness of the corn flour goes away.
12. When cooking I used to reduce the flame to simmer as and when required so as to avoid burning.
13. When you add corn starch, the gravy should be a little thin or watery. When you add corn flour starch, it makes thicker and glossy texture comes.
14. when you get a good consistency of gravy after 2 to3 mins, add fried cauliflower pieces in it , mix well, cook for 2 mins or till the cauliflower is binded and coated well with the sauce and switch it off.
15. Drizzle some chopped green part of spring onions before serving.
16. Can view my semi-dry cauliflower Manchurian.
17. I have served it with egg oyster fried rice.

Notes

1. Add water according to the gravy you require less or more.
2. If you do not want spicy, can reduce chillies and pepper powder.
3. While adding corn flour starch in gravy, you need to be care full, as the liquid should be thin, otherwise, the gravy will become very thick and dry.
4. I have added chicken stock cube, that’s why I added water, if adding chicken stock, do not add water.
5. While cooking, keep stirring as the ingredient are added one by one and gets cooked fast also.
6. If you think that while cooking, the ingredients are burning just keep it off the heat and when the heat is reduced, start cooking again, or just reduce the flame.
7. Spring onions I have used both white and green part. You can add chopped capsicum also in the end.
8. If you think that the sauces has thickened after adding cornflour starch then add little water as per the requirement.
9. Can avoid ajinomoto and change the ingredients according to your taste.
10. It is just adding one by one ingredient stirring and cooking it till it is cooked and its raw smell has gone no need to see the seconds or minutes.
11. With the same ingredients can cook dry gobi manchurian by just cooking till the vegetables and sauce is added and then add directly cooked cauliflower and serve, it will be dry gobi Manchurian, can adjust with the ingredients.
12. You can use vegetable Manchurian recipe for gobi Manchurian.