Gobi Manchurian is my favorite Indian-Chinese cuisine which is popular in India, and can be found easily at Indian restaurants. It is an adaptation of Chinese cooking combined with Indian flavors that make this dish have a unique taste. Sweet and sour taste of the tomato sauce is given that extra ‘kick’ by the tolerable spiciness and fragrant of the green chillies. Normally served as appetizer, Gobi Manchurian can also be served as side dish to accompany rice dishes.
But today instead of making ‘Gobi’ Manchurian, I will be making ‘Broccoli’ Manchurian instead. That’s because I only have some broccoli in my fridge and just to be experimenting with other cruciferous other than cauliflower. The result is just as great. Even better when made using my Easy Tomato Sauce recipe as a substitute to the usual tomato ketchup which I had posted the recipe earlier. Click here for the Easy Tomato Sauce recipe.
Dry ingredients (for deep frying):
- Vegetable oil (or any oil for deep frying)
- Broccoli/cauliflower florets – 1 cup, blanch in hot water for few seconds then rinse in cold water
- All purpose flour – 1/4 cup
- Corn flour – 3/4 cup
- Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
- Turmeric – 1/2 tsp
- White pepper powder – 1/2 tsp
- A pinch of salt
- Water
Sauce ingredients:
- Garlic – 3 cloves chopped finely.
- Grated ginger – 2 tsp
- Small green chillies – 2 or 3 sliced finely.
- Spring onion – 2 stalks finely sliced, include the white part. Save some green part for garnishing.
- Tomato sauce (Click here for recipe) – 4 to 5 tbsp (2 to 3 tbsp if using ketchup)
- Tamari/light soy sauce – 1 tbsp
- *Oyster sauce – 1 tbsp (optional).
- Ground coarse black pepper
- Ground white pepper powder
- Sugar to taste
- Salt to taste
- Water
* You can omit the oyster sauce if you are vegan/vegetarian or allergic to oyster sauce. Replace with Marmite yeast extract (1 tsp.) if desired.
Method:
Heat enough oil in a pot for deep frying.
While waiting for oil to become hot, combine all the dry ingredients and add to the blanched broccoli.
Gradually add in some water and mix to make sure the mixture form thick paste and not watery. Make sure the florets are coated evenly.
Once the oil is hot, you can now you start deep frying the broccoli. Set aside once you have finished frying.
We now move to making the sauce. Firstly, saute the garlic, ginger, green chillies and spring onions until fragrant.
Next, add in tomato sauce (click here for recipe) or store bought ketchup, tamari/light soy sauce, oyster sauce/marmite (if using). Add in water, with the amount depends on your preference and let it simmer.
Add in coarse black pepper, white pepper powder, sugar and salt (if needed). Leave to simmer for more until the sauce boils and thickens.
Once the sauce is nicely cooked, you can now finally stop the cooking. Add in the fried broccoli into the sauce and toss lightly. Garnish with some chopped green chillies and spring onions before serving. Best served hot.
Afro Asian Cooking 
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