Gobi Manchurian, a delicious indo chinese starter made from cauliflower. Gobi manchurian is one of the most popular starter items that you can find in any Indian restaurant menu. It tastes so good as a starter and as sides for fried rice. If you have been following me on IG, you might already know how often i make fried rice at home. But when it comes to sides for fried rice, mostly i tried to avoid manchurain mainly because of deep frying. I don't want to deep fry something everytime that I make fried rice at home. 

So I have been experimenting a lot lately on making manchurian without deep frying. In order to avoid deep frying, i tried baking, shallow frying and pan frying the cauliflower and this pan fried method is my favorite among all my attempts and it tastes so close to deep fried ones and if you serve this without mentioning anything, no one gonna find that it's not deep fried.

Pan frying cauliflower really takes a lot of time compared to deep frying but if you're conscious about deep frying and avoiding the manchurian for the very same reason, definitely this method is worth giving a try!!.  But if you're in a hurry definitely i won't recommend this method. Here are few FAQs about manchurian

Is it necessary to soak the cauliflower in hot water?

Yes, the first reason is that it helps to kill any worms in the cauliflower. Second, since we are using the pan fry method here, soaking the cauliflower in hot water helps to cook them evenly. 

Can pan frying cauliflower stay as  crispy as deep fried ?

Almost Yes !! I have used the corn flour in the batter to keep it crispy. 

Why did my manchurian become soggy and lost its crispiness after some time?

It happens whether you deep fried or pan fried the cauliflower. This is one of the foods that taste good when it's served straight out of the stove. 

Any tips for delicious manchurian?

1. Make sure that the batter is so thin and coats the cauliflower evenly.
2. If the batter is thick, it forms a thick outer coating and it doesn't taste good.
3. Also if the outer coating is so thick then there is no homogeneous in the manchurian!! When you take a bite, the outer layer falls apart and leaves the cauliflower inside without any taste.

Ok, now let's check out on how to make this famous indo chinese starter, Gobi Manchurian!!

 

Cauliflower Manchurian | Gobi Manchurian

Preparation Time : 15 mins | Cooking Time : 25 mins | Serves : 2 to 3  
Recipe Category: Curry | Recipe Cuisine: Indian
Cauliflower manchurian, Gobi Manchurian, Indo chinese starter, Starter,Indian starter recipe Gobi Manchurian, a delicious indo chinese starter made from cauliflower. Gobi manchurian is one of the most popular starter items that you can find in any Indian restaurant menu. It tastes so good as a starter and as sides for fried rice.

Sandhiya https://www.facebook.com/SandhiyasCookbook https://www.instagram.com/sandhiyascookbook/

Ingredients

Cauliflower - 1 lb

Soy sauce - 1 tbsp

Tomato sauce - 2 tbsp

Chili sauce - 1 tsp

Pepper powder - 1 tsp

Spring onion - 2 

Garlic - 2 tsp(minced)

Oil - 1 tbsp

For slurry 

Cornflour - 2 tsp

Water - 1/4 cup

For the batter

All purpose flour - 1/4 cup

Corn flour - 1 tbsp

Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp

Salt - 1/4 tsp

Water - as needed

Procedure

Cut the cauliflower into medium sized florets and put it in a large bowl. Add 1/4 tsp of salt , mix it well.Pour some hot water into the cauliflower and cover it with lid. Keep it aside for 20-30 mins.Drain the water from the cauliflower and spread it on the tissue paper to remove the excess water. In the mean time, add all the ingredients listed under "For the batter" in a bowl.Add water little by little and make a thin batter. Add few cauliflower florets in a batter and coat it with batter on all sides evenly.Heat a non stick pan with 1/2 tbsp of oil and then add the batter coated cauliflower and cook it on all sides until it has some brown spots and crispy on outside. Remove it on the plate.In the same pan, add the remaining oil, saute the minced garlic and the white part of the spring onions until they are fragrant, then add the soy sauce, chili sauce, tomato sauce and then mix cornflour along with water(listed under for the slurry) and make thin slurry and add into it. Mix it all well. Once the sauce became thick and coats the back of the spoon, add the pan fried cauliflower and mix it well.Finally add the pepper powder and finely chopped green part of spring onion.Tasty Gobi Manchurian is ready to serve. Serve it with your favorite fried rice or as a starter. We had it with paneer fried rice !!

Notes:

• Add more or less of sauce as per your liking.
• Since all the sauces already have enough salt, there is no need for extra salt in the sauce.
• Recommend to use non stick pan for pan frying the cauliflower.
• Serve immediately for best taste. 

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Paneer Fried Rice | Indian Cottage Cheese Fried Rice | Indo Chinese Rice Recipe

Paneer Fried Rice, a quick indo chinese rice recipe made from the Indian cottage cheese. I have tasted paneer fried rice at restaurants a couple of  times and I really liked the mild flavor of rice. As I had already mentioned in my paneer paratha recipe, I hardly cook paneer recipe at home. But last week, after prepared the paneer paratha, I left with some paneer, so without much thinking, I prepared this paneer fried rice on that weekend along with some chili gobi. The combination was so good and we really had a hearty meal on that day.
For this recipe, I have used my fried rice recipe as reference and prepared it without much changes. And also I haven't tossed the paneer in the oil before adding it into the rice. But if you like, toast the paneer(i do sometimes) slightly in the oil until it becomes golden brown and then add it to the rice.  To make delicious fried rice, there are 2 things you have to make sure to get it right, first thing is the rice, it should be properly cooked without mushy and the second thing is the soy sauce, so use good quality one, because  that's the main flavoring agent in the rice.

Paneer Fried Rice

Preparation Time : 10 mins | Cooking Time : 15 mins | Serves : 2 
Recipe Category: Rice | Recipe Cuisine: Indian
Paneer Fried Rice, Indian Cottage Cheese, Indo Chinese recipe,Indo chinese rice Paneer Fried Rice, a quick indo chinese rice recipe made from the Indian cottage cheese.

Sandhiya https://www.facebook.com/SandhiyasCookbook https://www.instagram.com/sandhiyascookbook/

Ingredients
Cooked Basmati Rice - 3 cups
Paneer - 1 cup
*Mixed Veggies - 3/4 cup(capsicum,cabbage,carrot)
Garlic - 2 tsp(finely minced)
Green onions - 3
Sesame Oil - 1 tbsp + 1 tsp
Soy Sauce - 2 tsp
Pepper powder - 2 tsp
Salt - to taste 

* In addition to the above mentioned veggies, you can add mushroom, broccoli also

Procedure

First cook the basmati rice and let it cool completely. In the mean time,chop all the veggies(capsicum,cabbage & carrot) into small pieces ,finely minced the garlic & then chop the white part of the green onions and keep it ready.Cut the paneer into small cubes and soak it in hot water along with little salt until use.Heat the kadai with oil and then add the garlic.Saute the garlic till it becomes fragrant and then add the onions & carrot and saute it for 2 mins.Then add cabbage & capsicum and required salt for the veggie and saute till all the veggies are done. Keep the flame in high and then add soy sauce into the veggies. Drain the paneer from hot water and add into the kadai, give a good mix.Now add the cooked rice  and pepper powder. Gently give a good stir until all mix together. Finally add the finely chopped green parts of  green onions. Switch off the flame.Tasty & restaurant style Paneer Fried Rice is ready.

For more rice recipes, check out my rice recipe collection. Below picture is updated recently and the color of the rice greatly depends on the soy sauce color. Using light soy sauce for that bright white color. 

Notes:

• I have already added salt while cooking the rice, so while sauteing, just added salt for the veggies alone.
• Saute the veggies in high flame to get that smoky flavor.
• Soaking the paneer in the hot water gives soft paneer
• Adjust the soy sauce as per your liking .The amount i mentioned here gives mild flavor of soy sauce.
• Make sure to use good quality soy sauce which is the main flavor in the rice.
• Use Sesame oil for great flavor. 
• The veggies should be crunchy, so don't cook till it becomes soft.
• I personally don't like the crunchy beans, so i skip it,but if you like, add some.
• Don't overcook the paneer, then it becomes rubbery.
• Serve hot, it tastes best when it's hot.
  

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Egg Fried Rice | Restaurant Style Egg Fried Rice | Indo Chinese Recipe

Egg Fried Rice, a famous Indo-Chinese rice recipe made with eggs and vegetables. Among all the indo chinese recipe that are available in India, without a doubt , this egg fried rice easily top the list.

Not only this rice is delicious, it hardly takes a few minutes to put together everything when you have cooked rice in hand, that's the another reason for its popularity in fast food center throughout the country.

After knowing the knack of making  perfect  Veg fried rice ,now i'm quite confident in trying other fried rice recipes and as expected this egg fried rice also turned out so tasty. 

In addition to the eggs, i have added few more vegetables for extra crunchiness in the rice, but you can skip the vegetables and make it with eggs alone too. 

Egg Fried Rice

Preparation Time : 5 mins | Cooking Time : 10 mins | Serves : 2 
Recipe Category: Rice | Recipe Cuisine: Indochinese
Restaurant Style Egg Fried Rice, Egg Fried Rice, Indo Chinese recipe Egg Fried Rice, a famous Indo-Chinese rice recipe made with eggs and vegetables.

Sandhiya https://www.facebook.com/SandhiyasCookbook https://www.instagram.com/sandhiyascookbook/

Ingredients
Cooked Basmati Rice - 3 cups
Egg - 3
Mixed Veggies - 3/4 cup(capsicum,cabbage,carrot)
Garlic - 2 tsp(finely minced)
Green onions - 3
Sesame Oil - 1 tbsp + 1 tsp
Soy Sauce - 2 tsp
Pepper powder - 2 tsp
Salt - to taste 

Procedure

First cook the basmati rice and let it cool completely. In the mean time,chop all the veggies(capsicum,cabbage & carrot) into small pieces ,finely minced the garlic & then chop the white part of the green onions and keep it ready.Heat the kadai with oil and then add the garlic.

Saute the garlic till it becomes fragrant and then add the onions,saute it for 2 mins.Then add all the carrot and saute for 2 more mins.

Then add cabbage & capsicum and required salt for the veggie and saute till all the veggies are done. 

Keep the flame in high and then add soy sauce, pepper powder into veggies and give a good mix. Now reduce the flame into low.

In an another pan, add 1 tsp of oil and crack open the eggs, add enough salt and pepper powder and mix it vigorously till the eggs are cooked and it becomes non-sticky to the bottom of the pan. 

Now add both the cooked rice  and egg  into the veggie and gently mix it well.Finally add the finely chopped green parts of the green onions and switch off the flame.

Tasty & restaurant style Egg Fried Rice is ready.

Related : How to make Veg Spring Rolls

Notes:

• I have already added salt while cooking the rice, so while sauteing, just added salt for the veggies alone.
• Saute the veggies in high flame to get that smoky flavor.
• Adjust the soy sauce as per your liking of that sauce.The amount i mentioned here gives mild flavor of soy sauce.
• Make sure to use good quality soy sauce which is the main flavor in the rice.
• Use Sesame oil for great flavor. 
• The veggies should be crunchy,so don't cook till it becomes soft.
• I personally don't like the crunchy beans, so i skip it,but if you would like,add some.
• Don't overcook the egg, then it becomes rubbery.
• Cook eggs and veggies side by side, that way you can put together all at the same time.
• Serve hot, it tastes best when it's hot.
  

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Hakka Noodles | Vegetable Noodles

Hakka Noodles, a famous noodle recipe that is available in all roadside stalls in India. It's an adoption of Chinese food to Indian taste and you can see different varieties of hakka noodles throughout India and the taste differs from region to region.

Actually Hakka Cuisine is the cooking style of hakka people(who speaks hakka language) from china.But in India, Hakka cuisine means indian adaptation of original hakka dishes and it's predominantly having indian flavor,even in some places garam masala is used in noodles for flavoring.

So the recipe that i'm sharing today is not authentic hakka noodles, it was influenced from the noodles  taste that i had had from the restaurant and other roadside joints in India.But all i can say is it's one of the tastiest noodle recipes that i have tasted so far. If you like noodles from roadside shops, then give it a try.  

Vegetable Hakka Noodles

Preparation Time : 15 mins | Cooking Time : 20 mins | Serves : 2 
Recipe Category: Noodles | Recipe Cuisine: Indo-Chinese
Vegetable Hakka Noodles, Indo Chinese Noodles, Hakka Noodles, Roadside Noodles Hakka Noodles, a famous noodle recipe that is available in all roadside stalls in India.

Sandhiya https://www.facebook.com/SandhiyasCookbook https://www.instagram.com/sandhiyascookbook/

Ingredients
Noodles - 200 gms
Mixed Vegetables - 1 cup(i have used cabbage, carrot & capsicum)
Spring onions - 2
Garlic - 3 pods
Tomato(small) - 2
Soy sauce - 2 tsp
Paprika - 1 tsp
Tomato ketchup - 1 tbsp
Pepper powder - as needed
Salt - to taste. 
Olive oil - 2 tsp

Procedure

First cook the noodles, bring a pot of water to boil with enough salt, add the noodles into hot water and cook as per packet instructions or until it's soft.Drain and keep it aside. Shred the cabbage ,cut the carrot, capsicum into thin stripes and white part of green onions into small pieces, minced the garlic well.

Heat a kadai with oil, add the garlic, saute till it fragrant, then carrot carrot and saute.

Once the carrot becomes soft, add the cabbage and capsicum and saute till for a while in a high flame, then add the soy sauce and give a good mix.

Chop the tomatoes roughly into pieces, put into the mixie/blender jar and grind into paste  and add into the veggies.

Add paprika, salt and tomato ketchup and mix well.

Cook till the moisture from the tomato is almost evaporated, then add the cooked noodles and pepper powder(if needed).

Toss it well and finally add the finely chopped green parts of green onions and switch off the flame.

Tasty Hakka Noodles is ready to serve.

Related : Peanut Butter Vegetable Noodles 

Notes:

• Cook the noodles till it becomes soft but doesn't loose its texture.
• Soy sauce and tomato ketchup already have salt in it and also remember we add salt in the noodles, so under do salt in the veggies.
  

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Spring Rolls | Veg Spring Rolls | Indo Chinese Recipe

Veg Spring rolls , crispy and flaky pastry filled with delicious vegetable fillings. It's one of the famous starter recipes across the world and you can make literally hundred varieties of spring rolls by varying the stuffing you choose to fill the pastry. 

Today in this recipe, i have chosen cabbage and carrot as stuffing.It's so simple and you can make this as a quick snack for your guests or as a starter for your lunch, it's really a crowd pleasing dish and i often make them for parties & pot luck.

When making the spring rolls at home, the rolling part is only the time consuming task, rest of all can make it really quick. Also you can make the stuffings for the spring rolls ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator or fill the sheets with stuffings , roll it and store it in the freezer. So that you can make it whenever needed without worrying about a lot of things to make.

Related: How to make Chinese Steamed Bun

Spring Roll Sheets

When comes to spring roll sheets, i have never prepared the sheets at home so far, always use the store brought frozen ones and it works well for me. But definitely will try homemade spring sheets someday :-). 

While rolling the spring rolls, make sure to cover the rest of the spring roll sheets with damp cloth because it's easily get dried. Once it's dried, then it's really hard to work with it. 

Soy Sauce

Next, when it comes to soy sauce, i always prefer less sodium soy sauce, that way even if you added extra soy sauce for more flavor, the salt in the recipe wouldn't be more. 

Also, the soy sauce is the main flavor in the spring roll, so try to use good quality soy sauce.Here in the recipe, i'm using kikkomon soy sauce.  Now let's see how to make this delicious spring roll!

Veg Spring Rolls

Preparation Time : 25 mins | Cooking Time : 20 mins | Makes : 8 
Recipe Category: Snacks | Recipe Cuisine: Indochinese
Spring Rolls, Veg Spring Rolls, Chinese Spring Rolls Veg Spring rolls , crispy and flaky pastry filled with delicious vegetable fillings. It's one of the famous starter recipe across the world and you can make literally hundred varieties of spring rolls by varies the stuffing you choose to fill the pastry.

Sandhiya https://www.facebook.com/SandhiyasCookbook https://www.instagram.com/sandhiyascookbook/

Ingredients
Spring roll sheets - 8 to 10
Cabbage(shredded) - 2 cup
Carrot - 1
Soy sauce - 1 tsp
Salt- to taste
Pepper Powder - 1 tsp
Olive oil - 1 tsp
All purpose flour - 2 tbsp
Oil - for frying

Procedure

Shred the cabbage and cut the carrots into thin strips. Heat a kadai with oil, add both the cabbage & carrot. 

Add a pinch of salt and saute well till the carrots become soft.

Add soy sauce & pepper powder,give a good mix and switch off the flame. That's it, your stuffing for spring roll.

Let the stuffing be cool a bit, in the mean time,add all purpose flour & water in a bowl and make it as thick paste.Now let's  roll the spring rolls. Take a sheet on the working board,cover the remaining with kitchen cloth.

Keep the sheet in diamond shape and place a tbsp of stuffing on the top of the sheets and start to roll.

When you comes to the longest part of the sheet, fold the sheets from both sides towards the center and apply the all purpose flour paste on the edges. Check the below image for reference.

Roll till the end,similarly prepare all the rolls. Heat the oil in sauce pan for frying.

Add the spring roll into the oil and cook both sides on medium flame till it becomes golden brown.Remove it from the oil and place it on tissue paper.

Tasty and crunchy Spring Rolls are ready.

Related: How to make Chinese mushroom dumplings

Notes:

• Depends on the salt in soy sauce, you can add more or less as per your preference.
• Cook on medium flame while frying to get the even color.
• I have used olive oil for frying, but you can use any cooking oil.
• If you want more chinese flavor, add spring onions at the end in the stuffing. 
  

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