Cauliflower Manchurian Recipes

Steps:

• Put at least 2 inches of oil into a deep-sided, heavy-bottomed pot and bring to 350 degrees on a candy thermometer. (In a bind, put a pinch of flour into the pot; at 350 it will sizzle but won't burn.)
• In a bowl large enough to accommodate the cauliflower, whisk together the eggs and cornstarch. Season with a large pinch of salt and pepper and add the cauliflower. Toss to coat the florets evenly.
• Fry the cauliflower in batches, so as not to crowd the pan, making sure that the oil is hot each time you add fresh florets. Cook until the cauliflower begins to mottle, about 4 minutes, then transfer to paper towels to drain.
• Now take a tablespoon of the hot oil from the frying pot and place it in a large pan over medium heat, swirling to coat the pan. Add the garlic and fry until fragrant, then add the ketchup, stirring occasionally, until it begins to bubble and caramelize around the edges. Add cayenne pinch by pinch to taste and then the cauliflower. Toss until hot and coated. Serve with white rice and steamed greens, if desired.

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.
• Mix flour, cornmeal, water, black pepper, and salt together in a bowl to make a thick batter. Toss in cauliflower florets and mix until coated.
• Deep fry cauliflower a few florets at a time until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
• Mix 1/4 cup vegetable stock with cornmeal in a bowl. Add soy sauce, ketchup, chile-garlic sauce, and salt.
• Heat oil in a wok or frying pan over high heat. Add onions, chile pepper, garlic, and ginger and stir-fry for a few seconds. Add cornmeal mixture and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Add remaining vegetable stock and cook until very thick, about 10 minutes. Remove sauce from heat.
• Spoon sauce over fried cauliflower and toss slightly. Garnish with green onions and serve.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350° F. Measure out all the spices onto a sheet pan. Place the pan in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes until the spices begin to slightly smoke and turn a little brown. Remove the pan from the oven and set aside to cool. When the spices are fully cooled, grind them in a spice grinder in batches, until all spices are completely ground. Mix them well and keep in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks.
• Remove the outer green leaves and stems from the cauliflower, and cut the head down the middle in an X to make four wedges. Lay the wedges cut-side down and make thin cross-sectional slices of each piece. After cutting a cauliflower wedge about halfway, turn the piece and chop the rest of the wedge into bite-size florets. This cutting technique provides different textures of cauliflower.
• Peel the carrot and cut it on the bias into thin slices about 2 inches long.
• Halve and peel the onion. Cut half moon slices of onion.
• Mix all the vegetables together and season with the Mustard Fenugreek Masala, black salt, chili powder, and kosher salt. Set the vegetables aside for 2 to 4 hours.
• Combine the tomato paste, sugar, vinegar, ginger, and chili powder in a medium saucepan on medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat.
• Combine the flour and cornstarch in a large bowl. Pour 5 cups of water into the bowl a cup at a time and mix with a large whisk until a thick runny pancake batter consistency is reached.
• Heat the oil for deep-frying to 300°F in a heavy-bottom pot. Check the temperature with a thermometer. Dip the cauliflower mix into the batter in batches and drop into the hot oil. Use a mesh "spider" or slotted spoon to move the cauliflower mixture around to keep it from forming large clumps. When the mixture begins to lightly brown-about 3 minutes-remove and place the cauliflower on paper towels to drain any excess oil. Continue cooking the cauliflower mixture in batches. Compost any excess batter.
• Increase the heat in the fryer to 375°F. Check the temperature with a thermometer. Drop the fried cauliflower mix back into the hot oil for about 5 minutes, until golden brown and crispy. Remove the cauliflower from the oil. In batches, toss the cauliflower mix in a metal bowl with the sweet and sour sauce. Garnish with the cilantro.