Baked Gobi Manchurian that tastes just like the real thing without all the extra calories. Enjoy as an appetizer, side dish, or main course.
Gobi Manchurian is a must-order for me at any Indo-Chinese restaurant. I absolutely love it on its own and sometimes with rice also.
What is Gobi Manchurian?
Gobi Manchurian, also known as Cauliflower Manchurian, is a popular Indo-Chinese dish that’s typically fried. The fried florets are tossed into a delicious Manchurian sauce resulting in the most delicious appetizer. Dry Gobi Manchurian has less sauce, but if you want a Gravy Cauliflower Manchurian, you can add more water.
Tips on making Baked Gobi Manchurian
- Boil the water and steam the florets
- Dip the steamed florets into a batter
- Bake the cauliflower florets in the oven
- Prep the ingredients ahead of time for the Manchurian sauce
- Make the sauce
- Add the baked cauliflower to the sauce. Toss and enjoy!
Can I make Cauliflower Manchurian gluten-free?
Absolutely! Simply replace the Desi atta (durum flour) with a gluten-free flour such as All-Purpose Gluten-Free flour, Almond Flour, Rice Flour, or you may try one you like. Also, be sure to use gluten-free soy sauce/tamari.
Baked Gobi Manchurian is:
Crispy
Scrumptious
Flavorful
Saucy
Baked, NOT Fried
Vegan
Gluten-Free option (use GF flour to coat cauliflower)
How to make Baked Gobi Manchurian recipe step by step?
Steam and Bake Cauliflower
1. Heat up a large pot of water to steam the cauliflower.
2. Cut cauliflower into medium size florets.
3. Once the water is boiling, salt the water slightly and add the cauliflower to the boiling water.
4. Steam the cauliflower for 3-4 minutes. Drain.
5. Transfer to a bowl. Let the cauliflower cool.
6. Prepare a batter for the cauliflower. See the batter ingredients below.
7. Once the cauliflower slightly cools, add the steamed cauliflower to the batter.
8. Coat well.
9. Transfer the coated cauliflower to a baking sheet. Spray with avocado oil. I used parchment paper, but you can bake the cauliflower without it. Bake for 40 minutes at 425 degrees – flipping halfway and spraying again with avocado oil. Once the cauliflower is done baking, prepare the sauce.
Prepare the Manchurian Sauce
1. Chop the ginger, garlic, green chilies, red onion, and white portion of the scallions.
2. Heat up a wok on medium heat. Add ginger, garlic, and green chilies. Saute for 1 minute.
3. Add the red onion and white scallions. Saute for 3 minutes or until slightly golden.
4. Add the soy sauce, ketchup, rice wine vinegar, and red chili sauce ( I like Ching’s or Siracha works).
5. Stir around for a minute.
6. Prepare a cornstarch slurry and add it to the sauce. This will help thicken up the sauce slightly and add a glossy shine.
7. Stir well for a minute.
8. Add the baked cauliflower. Gently toss florets into the sauce making sure everything is well-coated. Cook for 2 minutes max.
9. Top with chopped green scallions. Stir.
Enjoy Hot!
Baked Gobi Manchurian
Ingredients
for steaming cauliflower
- a large pot of water
- season with salt
for cauliflower batter
- 1 head cauliflower cut into medium florets
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp desi atta any flour works, including gluten-free
- 2 tbsp corn starch
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
for corn starch slurry
- 1 tbsp corn starch
- 1/2 cup water
for Manchurian sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 inch ginger chopped
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 green chili finely chopped
- 1/2 medium red onion finely chopped
- 1/4 white scallions finely chopped
- to taste black pepper
- 1 tbsp red chili sauce
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 2 tbsp tamari gluten-free
- 2 tsp rice wine vinegar
- add corn starch slurry
- add baked cauliflower
- 1/2 cup scallions chopped
- spray avocado oil on florets before baking flipping half-way - spray again
Instructions
Steam and Bake Cauliflower
- Heat up a large pot of water to steam the cauliflower.
- Cut cauliflower into medium size florets.
- Once the water is boiling, salt the water slightly and add the cauliflower to the boiling water.
- Steam the cauliflower for 3-4 minutes. Drain.
- Transfer to a bowl. Let the cauliflower cool.
- Prepare a batter for the cauliflower. See the batter ingredients below.
- Once the cauliflower slightly cools, add the steamed cauliflower to the batter.
- Coat well.
- Transfer the coated cauliflower to a baking sheet. Spray with avocado oil. I used parchment paper, but you can bake the cauliflower without it. Bake for 40 minutes at 425 degrees - flipping halfway and spraying again with avocado oil. Once the cauliflower is done baking, prepare the sauce.
Prepare the Manchurian Sauce
- Chop the ginger, garlic, green chilies, red onion, and white portion of the scallions.
- Heat up a wok on medium heat. Add ginger, garlic, and green chilies. Saute for 1 minute.
- Add the red onion and white scallions. Saute for 3 minutes or until slightly golden.
- Add the soy sauce, ketchup, rice wine vinegar, and red chili sauce ( I like Ching's or Siracha works).
- Stir around for a minute.
- Prepare a cornstarch slurry and add it to the sauce. This will help thicken up the sauce slightly and add a glossy shine.
- Stir well for a minute.
- Add the baked cauliflower. Gently toss florets into the sauce making sure everything is well-coated. Cook for 2 minutes max.
- Top with chopped green scallions. Stir.
I absolutely loved this! It was so easy and so delicious! A definite keeper recipe!
I loved this recipe and more importantly, my husband, who loves indochinese couldnt tell that this was the usual fried kind. Perfect app for a dinner party!
Wow this recipe was just like the restaurants/weddings! My roommate even said it smelled like an Indian wedding in our apartment. First recipe I’ve tried of Nisha’s and will be trying many more!!
Thank you so much! So glad you liked it. 🙂