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Cauliflower Manchurian Recipe (Gobi Manchurian)

  • Cauliflower
  • Main Dishes
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Servings 4 servings
Calories 497 kcal
Cauliflower Manchurian Recipe
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Our cauliflower Manchurian recipe features baked cauliflower with a tender interior and crispy exterior coated in a delightful sweet and sour sauce.

The dish is quick and straightforward to make, using only simple pantry ingredients. Thus, cauliflower Manchurian doesn’t require any complicated cooking techniques. It can be found everywhere from street stalls to restaurants to households.

What Is Cauliflower Manchurian?

Cauliflower Manchurian is a popular Indo-Chinese dish made with cauliflower florets. The food has earned another name — Gobi Manchurian — since gobi is an Indian term for cauliflower. It’s not an authentic Chinese or Indian dish but is instead an attractive fusion of both Indian and Chinese cuisine.

To make cauliflower Manchurian, you’ll first coat cauliflower florets in a batter mixture of egg and flour, then deep fry them until crisp. After that, the veggies are tossed in a sweet and sour sauce made from garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and various seasonings.

Generally, the dish is served in two ways — either dry or in gravy. Both variants are prepared with similar ingredients and cooking processes but differ in the use of cornstarch gravy. The dry version is coated in a thin layer of sauce and is considered an appetizer, while the runnier, gravied version can be easily turned into a main meal.

what is cauliflower manchurian

Though you can find Manchurian recipes using different ingredients such as chicken, fish, and mixed vegetables, the version with cauliflower is still the most popular and beloved.

For more cauliflower recipe ideas, have a look at our Cauliflower Fried Rice or Cauliflower Pizza Crust. They are easy to follow and complied with our healthy eating standards.

Is Cauliflower Manchurian Healthy?

Traditional Gobi Manchurian recipes coat cauliflower with the batter and then deep-fry it in oil until crisp. However, we challenged ourselves to construct a healthier version by baking rather than frying the cauliflower.

This technique makes the cauliflower crispy without any deep-fried guilt — it cuts a significant amount of saturated fat out of the end product. Scientists have linked diets low in saturated fat to health benefits, including lower risks of heart diseases and diabetes.

Nutritionally, cauliflower is a powerhouse of fiber and vitamin C. This vitamin is essential for a healthy immune system while fiber plays a vital role in supporting digestion.

While testing and making the dish, we also kept a strict eye on the added salt and sugar. We included just enough to bring out the flavor. This is an essential part of a healthy diet as defined by the USDA’s Dietary Guidelines that we follow in all our recipes.

is cauliflower manchurian healthy

Cauliflower Manchurian Ingredients

  • Cauliflower: Choose cauliflower with fresh, firm heads so that the dish comes out crunchy yet juicy from the oven.
  • Bell Peppers: Bell peppers are added in large cubes for extra flavor and for their crunchy texture.
  • All-Purpose Flour: We used plain flour to make the batter to coat the cauliflower florets.
  • Eggs: Eggs act as the “glue” to stick the batter together and hold it onto the veggies.

Manchurian Sauce

The Manchurian sauce is a gravy that melds sweet, sour, and umami flavors. It builds depth with shallots, garlic, and ginger, all chopped into small pieces so they’re extra aromatic.

ingredients

For seasonings, we used a flavorful blend of soy sauce, ketchup, vinegar, sugar, and ground pepper. The addition of sriracha gives it all a vibrant red color but does not make the finished product overly spicy. If you don’t have sriracha on hand, go with a different chili sauce but add just a teaspoon at a time until it reaches your spice tolerance.

Another secret in our tasty gravy is sesame oil. It is a great flavor enhancer that will bring out all the taste layers of the dish, making it extra wholesome. 

Finally, you still need to add a bit of cornstarch and water to make the sauce “sticky” enough to coat the cauliflower.

How to Make Cauliflower Manchurian

Learn how to make this cauliflower Manchurian with easy step-by-step instructions:

step 1: Preheat the oven to 400 ℉.

Preheat the oven to 400 ℉.

Step 2: Make the batter and coat the cauliflower.

Make the batter and coat the cauliflower.

Step 3: Bake the cauliflower.

Bake the cauliflower.

Step 4: Make the sauce.

Make the sauce.

Step 5: stir fry the veggies

Stir fry the veggies.

Step 6: pour the sauce into the pan and stir until the gravy slightly thickens

Pour the sauce into the pan and stir until the gravy slightly thickens.

step 7: Return the bell pepper mix and cauliflower to the pan

Return the bell pepper mix and cauliflower to the pan.

step 8: garnish and serve

Garnish and serve.

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Tips for Making

  1. If you are going to bake the vegetables the way we did, don’t forget to add butter or oil to the batter. This helps crisp up the batter while lending a lovely richness to the food.
  2. Once the cauliflower Manchurian is prepared, you should serve the dish immediately. It will turn soft and soggy after a while.
  3. You can prepare the cauliflower in advance and sauté it in the Manchurian sauce when needed. To maintain the coating’s crispiness, only reheat the florets in the preheated oven or air fryer for a few minutes before you’re eating them.

What to Serve With Cauliflower Manchurian

If you serve Gobi Manchurian as an appetizer, starter, or snack, you don’t need to add a side. The food is packed with a good balance of sweet, sour, and tangy notes and tastes delicious on its own.

However, if you make it for a meal, consider serving it alongside steamed rice or noodles. That way, the dish can provide you with a good amount of extra calories and nutrients. 

Recipes Course Calories Saturated fat Sodium
Cauliflower Manchurian Main Dish 497 7.9 g 521 mg
Winter Melon Meatball Soup Side Dish 143 3.5 g 293 mg
Orange Pineapple Juice Beverage 112 0.0 g 6 mg
Total 752 11.4 g 820 mg
Nutritional values in this table vary somewhat to those below due to different app calculations. Read more...
what to serve with cauliflower manchurian

Also, we encourage you to eat it with vegetable soup and fresh juice, ensuring the whole meal is appealing and nutritious. Either way, this dish will hit the spot and have you craving it time and again.

But Wait, There’s More!

Trying to include more cauliflower in your meal plan? Save these delicious and easy cauliflower recipes into your list:

  • Kung Pao Cauliflower Recipe
  • Buffalo Cauliflower Tacos Recipe
  • Cauliflower Toast Recipe
  • Chicken and Cauliflower Recipe
  • Cauliflower Alfredo Recipe
Homemade Cauliflower Manchurian Recipe

Cauliflower Manchurian Recipe

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Our vegetarian-friendly cauliflower Manchurian recipe makes a healthy dish loaded with crunchy baked cauliflower and sweet, tangy sauce.
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine Chinese, Indian
Servings 4 servings
Calories 497kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 20 oz cauliflower
  • 6 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1.5 medium egg
  • 3 tbsp milk
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 3 tbsps unsalted butter
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 1/2 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp sriracha
  • 3 tbsp Heinz ketchup
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp ground pepper
  • 1/2 tsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 4 fl oz water
  • 2 tbsp olive oil divided
  • 2 oz green bell pepper cubed
  • 2 tsp garlic chopped
  • 1 tsp ginger chopped
  • 1 tsp shallot chopped
  • 2 tbsp scallions chopped
  • 3 1/2 cup cooked long-grain rice

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 400 ℉.
    preheat the oven
  • Make the batter: In a mixing bowl, mix 6 tbsp all-purpose flour, 1.5 medium egg, 3 tbsp milk, 1 tsp paprika, and 3 tbsps unsalted butter. Coat 20 oz cauliflower florets well with the batter.
    Step 2: Make the batter and coat the cauliflower.
  • Transfer the cauliflower to a baking tray. Place it in the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
    Step 3: Bake the cauliflower.
  • Meanwhile, make the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tbsp sesame oil, 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp sriracha, 3 tbsp tomato ketchup, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp brown sugar, 1/2 tsp ground pepper, 1/2 tsp dark soy sauce, 1 tbsp cornstarch, and 4 fl oz water.
    Step 4: Make the sauce.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-low heat. Add 2 oz green bell pepper and stir fry for about 2 minutes. Transfer the veggies to a plate.
    Step 5: stir fry the veggies
  • Heat the remaining olive oil in the same pan. Add 2 tsp garlic, 1 tsp ginger, and 1 tsp shallot, and stir them until fragrant. Then pour the sauce into the pan and stir until the gravy slightly thickens (about 15 – 30 seconds).
    Step 6: pour the sauce into the pan and stir until the gravy slightly thickens
  • Return the bell pepper mix and cauliflower to the pan and gently mix so that the sauce coats everything uniformly. Remove from heat.
    step 7: Return the bell pepper mix and cauliflower to the pan
  • Transfer the food to the serving bowl. Garnish with 2 tbsp scallions and serve with 3 1/2 cup cooked long-grain rice.
    step 8: garnish and serve

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Cauliflower Manchurian Recipe
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 497 Calories from Fat 198
% Daily Value*
Fat 22g34%
Saturated Fat 8g50%
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g
Monounsaturated Fat 10g
Cholesterol 85mg28%
Sodium 521mg23%
Potassium 593mg17%
Carbohydrates 65g22%
Fiber 4g17%
Sugar 9g10%
Protein 11g22%
Vitamin A 437IU9%
Vitamin C 81mg98%
Calcium 82mg8%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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Luna Regina

Luna Regina

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Luna is the founder and chief recipe developer of Healthy Recipes 101. Apart from cooking, she also loves reading, programming, exploring the outdoors, and collecting useless facts about everything.

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Cauliflower Manchurian Recipe
Cauliflower Manchurian Recipe (Gobi Manchurian)
Recipe Rating




Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN, LD
Recipe developed by Luna Regina on October 27, 2021 Nutritionally reviewed by Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN, LD

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