Cauliflower Manchurian is an Indian-Chinese fried dish in which battered cauliflower is used to make a savoury, spicy sauce. It is a great dish which combines delightful fusions from one's favourite household to restaurants. The preparation begins with fresh florets of cauliflower that are briefly blanched to retain their crunch before being coated in a flavourful batter made of all-purpose flour and cornstarch. This batter's taste is further enhanced with salt, pepper, and sometimes spices like ginger and garlic. The battered cauliflower is deep-fried in oil until golden and crispy, producing crunchy textures in contrast to the sauce, which is a complex flavour made primarily of soy sauce, chilli sauce, and tomato ketchup. It is enhanced by adding spices, including garlic, ginger, and green chillies, that give this sauce a perfect tart-sweet-spicy flavour. The sauce is then rolled in the fried cauliflower so that all pieces are well-coated. Cauliflower Manchurian can be enjoyed as a starter or even served as a side dish with fried rice or noodles. Garnishing it with spring onions or fresh coriander leaves gives an explosion of colours and freshness to the dish. The texture, added with flavour, makes this dish very tasty both to vegetarians and to meat lovers. This dish is a pleasure for the tongue as much as it is a healthier alternative to the fried snacks in-store. Cauliflower is low in calories and high in fibre content; this indeed can be your indulgence with no guilt. Be it for a party or just a tasty way of finishing the veggies, Cauliflower Manchurian is sure to please and satisfy.

• 1 red chilli
• 1 medium cauliflower
• 1 tbsp milk
• 4 tsp ginger
• 1 spring spring onion
• 1/4 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp garlic
• 5 tbsp oil
• 1/4 cup plain flour
• 2 tbsp cornflour
• Salt
• Soy sauce

• Boil cauliflower in a deep pot with one tablespoon of milk with 1 1/2 cups of water. This is the only ingredient preparation of Cauliflower Manchurian in the entire recipe, as it doesn't let the cauliflower lose colour while making it tender.
• Add to that the medium cauliflower, washed and cut up in a vessel; boil until it is soft a little and still, crunch; that would take 3-4 minutes. This is very important since overcooking should be avoided because that crunch gives it this fantastic taste of delightful cauliflower in every bite.
• Once boiling, remove the cauliflower from the pot and drain it in a colander.
• Dry the moisture from the florets with a clean cloth so that the batter would stick well.
• Put all the following items in a mixing bowl: Plain flour, 1/4 cup, Cornflour 2 tablespoons of chopped ginger, 2 Tsps, chopped garlic, 1 Tsp, salt to taste, and red chilli powder, 1/4 Tsp.
• Mix all of these ingredients until they become dry. Add water to it.
• Mix in gradually just enough water to make a smooth batter. The batter ought to coat all the cauliflower florets and not be sloppy.
• Now, take one floret at a time and dip it into the batter so it gets nicely coated.
• Throw off any excess batter so it does not clump when you drop it in the oil.
• Put three tablespoons of cooking oil in a wok and set it over medium heat.
• Once the oil reaches hot, add the cauliflower to attain great crispiness.
• Scoop out gently battered florets of cauliflower into the scalding oil.
• Fry in batches, just a few at one go, without crowding the pan. Fry until well golden brown and crispy, about 3-4 minutes on a batch.
• Scoop florets from the fried oil with a slotted spoon and spread them over clean kitchen paper towels so that they can absorb extra oil. Here, they also remain crispy in this process.
• In a clean pot, add two tablespoons of oil. To this, add 2Tsps of crushed ginger, 1 Tsp of crushed garlic, and two crushed red chillies.
• Stir-fry for 1 minute until aromatic.
• Season with one small chopped spring onion.
• Stir-fry for another minute, after which add 1 1/2 cups of water. Let it steam until it boils out, making a savoury sauce.
• Combine one tablespoon of corn flour with 1/4 cup of water in a bowl.
• Gradually mix the combination into the boiling gravy, stirring constantly, until thick and clear.
• Add crispy cauliflower florets and soy sauce to the gravy according to your taste.
• Cook for two more minutes so that the flavours just meld and take off the gas.
• Serve hot with veg noodles or veg fried rice for a proper feast. It has been a treat to make and enjoy Cauliflower Manchurian!