Gobi Manchurian

Oh, man.  Ever so often, I get a hankering for some of this crunchy, spicy, tangy, garlicky goodness.  Gobi manchurian or Cauliflower manchurian is typical Indian street food. A fusion of Indo-Chinese flavors, this dish is addictive. If you make it once, you will make it again and again. Here is our version...

Ingredients:
For the batter:
Cauliflower - one full head
10 tbs all purpose flour
6 tbs corn starch
1 tbs cream of wheat
1/8 tsp sea salt
black pepper, to taste
vegetable stock, at least 1/2 cup
Oil, for frying

For the gravy:
2 tbs peanut oil
1 medium-large onion, minced
6 medium-large cloves garlic, minced
1 inch cube of ginger, minced or pureed
1 green chile, minced (or to taste)
1/2 bell pepper, cut in strips
White pepper, to taste
4 tbs ketchup
8 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp sambal oelek (or to taste)
3 tsp rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup vegetable stock
1 tsp corn starch (or as needed)

For the garnish:
a handful of fresh coriander, chopped
green onions, cut in slits

Servings: 2-3 (entree); 5-6 (appetizer)

Instructions:

First, break apart the head of cauliflower into bite size florets. Place the florets on a cookie sheet and salt liberally. Allow to rest for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, you can prepare the gravy and batter for the recipe.

Place a medium sized saucepan over medium-low heat and add the peanut oil. Once the oil is hot, add the onions, garlic, ginger, and green chiles. Stir and flatten the mixture so that it cooks evenly. When the onions are slightly brown, add the bell pepper and white pepper. Cook a couple of minutes longer.

Then, add the ketchup and sambal. Mix thoroughly with the mixture. After a few more minutes, add the soya sauce and vinegar, and mix again. Add the vegetable stock, mix, and lower the heat.

In a small bowl, take the corn starch and add a little cold water to make a smooth slurry. This will be used to thicken the sauce. You can vary the quantity and thickness of the sauce by adding more or less stock and slurry. Just don't go overboard with the stock or you will dilute the flavors. Mix well and set aside.

Set the pot containing your oil at medium-high heat to fry the florets. For the batter, take a small mixing bowl and combine all of the ingredients for the batter. Add more stock as needed. You want to end up with a smooth, thick batter.

Wipe the moisture from the salted florets with a kitchen towel. When the oil is heated, dip each floret completely in the batter, remove the floret and drain any extra batter before carefully placing in the pot to fry. You can fry several florets at a time, but be careful not to overcrowd the pot. Fry until golden brown and remove to a cookie sheet with a tray underneath to catch the extra oil (I prefer to use a cookie sheet to a paper towel as the latter leaves the florets soggy).

As soon as all the florets are fried, add the coriander to the gravy and heat through. You can pour the gravy over the florets or place it on the side. Serve with steamed rice and green onions as a garnish.