Chili Gobi is a popular appetizer/starter served at Indian restaurants. It is an Indo-Chinese recipe and is very simple and easy to make. If you mix deep fried cauliflower florets with sauce how can it go wrong?
Gobi means cauliflower in Hindi. Chili gobi is a spicy starter that can be easily prepared for parties or for a relaxing family night. It also pairs well with my Egg fried rice along a little vinegar/greenchilli mix for added flavors.
Cauliflower florets
Cut the cauliflower into florets, the smaller the better. Smaller florets are easier to cook. And we also get a crunchier result, if we make them smaller/thinner in size. After you cut the cauliflower into florets, to remove any bugs, dip the florets in hot water mixed with a little white vinegar and salt and let it rest for 20 minutes. Drain and dry well and keep aside. 
The batter
To make chili gobi, dip cauliflower/gobi florets in a batter made up of all purpose flour or maida and cornstarch/cornflour along with a few flavoring agents and deep fry to a golden brown. In versions served at restaurants, the batter is usually very thick and many times, we get more batter than cauliflower. We can control the thickness of the batter when we make at home. It is a personal choice, how thick you want the batter to be. After I make the batter, I usually reserve about a quarter or half of the batter and then add the florets to the bowl, mix well. If I want a thicker coating on the florets, I add more.
The sauce
The sauce gives color and flavor to the fried florets. Along with ginger, garlic, celery and spring onions, add soy sauce, red chili sauce, ketchup, rice wine vinegar and Kashmiri chili powder or mild chili powder and you get a red, spicy sauce. The Kashmiri chili powder adds intense color to the sauce without increasing the spiciness. You can substitute with red chili powder if you want to make it spicier. Mix the fried florets well into the sauce and serve hot. You can also add large slices of onion and bell pepper.
Chili Gobi
Ingredients
Cauliflower prep
- 1 medium Cauliflower, 3 cups of florets(1 cup=250gm)
- 1-2 tsp White Vinegar
- Salt to taste
For the batter
- ½ cup All purpose flour
- ¼ cup Corn starch/corn flour
- 1 tsp Ginger-garlic paste, (2 tbsp needed altogether for the recipe)
- ½ tbsp Kashmiri chili powder (mild chili powder)
- ¾ tsp Soy Sauce, I used low-sodium version
- ½ tsp Red chili sauce
- Salt to taste, remember the sauces also add salt to the batter.
- Vegetable oil, to fry
Chili Gobi
- 2 tbsp Ginger-garlic paste, 1-2 tsp used in the batter
- 1 stalk Celery, cut into thin slices
- 2-3 Spring onion, chopped fine, green and white parts kept separate
- ½ Onion, cut only the outer layers into square pieces
- ½ Bell pepper, any color, cut into square pieces (See Notes)
- 1 tbsp Soy sauce
- 2½ tbsp Red chili sauce
- 1 tbsp Tomato ketchup
- ¼-½ tbsp Rice wine vinegar
- ½ tsp Kashmiri chili powder
- Salt to taste
- A pinch of Sugar, To balance out the flavors
- 2-3 tbsp water
Instructions
Cauliflower prep
- Cut the cauliflower into florets, the smaller the better.
- Rinse well.
- Immerse the florets in hot water, a few tsp of vinegar and salt. Keep side for 20 minutes.
- Strain the florets and keep aside.
Batter-fried cauliflower
- Into a large bowl, sift all purpose flour, corn flour/corn starch, salt and Kashmiri chili powder.
- Add the ginger-garlic paste, soy sauce and red chili sauce and mix well.
- Add water to the mix, a little by little and make a thick, yet pourable batter. It should coat the florets well.
- Check the salt. You can reserve a little of the batter if you want to control the thickness of the coating aand not use the whole thing.
- Add the florets into the batter and mix well.
- Heat oil in a wok.
- Add the florets to the medium-high oil. Make sure that you add them one at a time, or else it will clump up.
- Cook them in medium-high heat, turning them and remove them to a paper towel when fried well.
- Do not overcrowd the pan. Fry all the florets this way.
Chili Gobi
- Into a large wok/pan, add a few tsp of oil that was used to fry the cauliflower.
- Add the ginger-garlic paste and saute for a few seconds.
- Add the celery and whites of the spring onion and saute till it is cooked.
- Add the large squares of onion and bellpepper and saute till the they cooked, yet retain the crunch.
- Add a little salt, though remember that the soy and chili sauces will add salt.
- Add the soy sauce, chili sauce, ketchup, vinegar and Kashmiri red chili powder. Mix well and let it all heat up.
- Add a few tablespoons of water, mix well and let it start boiling well.
- Reduce the heat, add a pinch of sugar and taste the sauce and make any adjustments needed.
- Add the fried florets, mix well and let it all warm up in the sauce for a few minutes.
- Sprinkle the green of the spring onion and switch off.
- Serve hot.
Notes
- Cut the bell pepper and onion into square pieces or thin slices. It is your choice.