Crispy Gobi Manchurian

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Cauliflower florets go into a cornstarch-heavy batter and through a two-stage fry, so they stay shatteringly crisp even after they hit the sauce. The glaze is the Indo-Chinese classic — garlic, ginger, green chili, soy, ketchup and chili sauce cooked down until glossy — and it gets tossed with the gobi at the very last second so nothing goes soft. Serve it straight from the wok with lime and scallions.

Ingredients

• 1 medium head cauliflower (about 2 lb), cut into 1½-inch florets
• 3/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp rice flour
• 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 3/4 cup cold water, plus more as needed
• 6 cups neutral oil, for frying

• 2 tbsp neutral oil
• 6 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely minced
• 2 green chilies (serrano or Indian), slit and thinly sliced
• 1 small red onion, cut into 1-inch petals
• 1 small green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 4 scallions, whites and greens separated, sliced
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp chili-garlic sauce or sriracha
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 tsp cornstarch

• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 tbsp chopped cilantro
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the cauliflower florets and blanch for exactly 2 minutes, then drain and spread on a clean kitchen towel. Pat completely dry — surface moisture is the enemy of a crisp crust. Let them air-dry 10 minutes while you make the batter.
2. Whisk the cornstarch, all-purpose flour, rice flour, Kashmiri chili powder, black pepper, salt and ginger-garlic paste in a large bowl. Add the cold water a little at a time, whisking until you have a smooth batter that coats a spoon like heavy cream and slowly drips off. Add 1 tablespoon more water at a time if it is too thick.
3. Prep the sauce components before you fry: mince the garlic, ginger and chilies; cut the onion and pepper; slice the scallions. In a small bowl, stir together the ketchup, soy sauce, chili-garlic sauce, rice vinegar and sugar. In a second small bowl, whisk the 1 teaspoon cornstarch into the 1/3 cup water to make a slurry.
4. Pour the frying oil into a Dutch oven or deep pot to a depth of 2 inches and heat to 325°F on a deep-fry thermometer. Set a wire rack over a sheet pan next to the stove.
5. Add the dried cauliflower to the batter and turn gently with your hands until every floret is coated. Lift out florets one at a time, letting excess batter drip back into the bowl, and slide them into the oil in batches of 8 to 10 — do not crowd the pot. Fry for 3 to 4 minutes, turning once, until the coating is set and pale blond but not browned. Transfer to the rack. Repeat with remaining florets, letting the oil return to 325°F between batches.
6. Raise the oil temperature to 385°F. Return the florets to the oil in batches and fry a second time for 1½ to 2 minutes, until deep golden and audibly crisp. Drain on the rack and season with a pinch of salt. The double fry is what lets them survive the sauce.
7. Heat the 2 tablespoons oil in a large wok or 12-inch skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add the garlic, ginger and green chilies and stir-fry for 30 seconds, until fragrant but not browned. Add the scallion whites, onion petals and bell pepper and stir-fry 2 minutes — the vegetables should stay crunchy and slightly charred at the edges.
8. Pour in the ketchup mixture and cook, stirring, for 1 minute until it darkens and smells sweet-savory rather than raw. Stir the cornstarch slurry and add it to the pan; simmer 45 to 60 seconds, until the sauce is glossy and thick enough to cling to a spoon. Taste and adjust with a splash more soy sauce or vinegar.
9. Kill the heat, add the fried cauliflower and toss fast — 15 to 20 seconds of tumbling, just enough to lacquer each floret. Drizzle with the sesame oil, scatter the scallion greens and cilantro over the top, and serve immediately with lime wedges.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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