Cauliflower Stir Fry with Pepper

In many instances, vegetarians feel left out of popular Indian street food because of the use of meat in them. This problem warranted a cheap and effective solution here in India. This gave rise to the use of cauliflower as a substitute for meat in recipes that deep-fried them. It’s a great way to introduce cauliflower’s taste and its health benefits to the carnivorous palate. Even the pickiest of eaters would enjoy a good gobi pepper fry. That is enough reason to try it out.

What is a Gobi Pepper Fry?

Simply put, Gobi Pepper Fry is batter coated deep fried cauliflower florets and stir-fried with bell peppers and Chillies to make a mouth-watering nugget of flavor that also touts health benefits and is completely vegetarian. This came about at first as a replacement for battered meat in Chinese dishes such as chicken Manchurian and chili chicken. Replacing the chicken with cauliflower allowed these dishes to be marketed as vegetarian, which opened up a huge market of people who had never tasted Chinese flavors because of the non-veg ingredients. Nowadays, it is a popular and cheap streetside snack enjoyed by vegetarians and meat-lovers alike.

Notable Ingredients at a Glance

Cauliflower: For any kind of gobi snacks recipe, I recommend using fresh and tender cauliflower. It will make the final recipe tastier.

Spices: For this recipe, you will need coriander powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, fennel seeds, cumin seed, and black pepper powder.

Garlic & Ginger: Ginger and garlic add to the aroma of the dish. Use chopped ginger and garlic.

Onion: I have used red onions in this recipe. You can use white onions as well, whichever is handy.

All-purpose flour & corn flour: The corn flour and all-purpose flour mix used in this recipe should yield a crunchy and crispy gobi pakora. However, if you prefer it crisper, you can add extra cornflour.

Coriander: Add chopped coriander to add flavor to the recipe.

Tomato sauce: Tomato sauce adds tanginess and sweetness to the dish.

Oil: You can use any neutral oil of your choice, vegetable oil, olive oil, or any other oil you prefer.

Curry leaves: I personally love the aroma of curry leaves. It entirely changes the impact of the dish.

Bell pepper: Use finely chopped bell pepper to add a slight crunch to the dish.

How to prepare Gobi Pepper Fry?

Take a mixing bowl, add flour, corn flour, turmeric powder, pepper powder, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 cup water. Make a smooth batter.

In a pan, boil the water and turn off the heat.

Put the cauliflower florets in it for 5-6 minutes till they are par-cooked, and strain them.

Now put the cauliflower florets in the batter and coat them evenly.

In a wok, shallow fry the coated cauliflower for 5-6 mins till they are golden in color.

Keep them aside once done. Now in another wok or deep pan, add 2 tablespoons of oil, and heat it.

Turn the heat to low and add cumin seeds, fennel seeds, garlic, ginger, and curry leaves and fry for 30 seconds.

Add onions, bell peppers, cumin powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and coriander powder and fry for 2 minutes. Keep stirring continuously.

Now add the tomato sauce and mix for 1 min. Now add the cauliflower and keep stirring till it is evenly coated.

Add chopped coriander and mix it. Serve with rice or chapati at lunch or dinner or as an evening snack with tea.

Some expert tips for preparing Gobi Pepper Fry

• Use fresh cauliflower florets for a crispy, juicy, and tasty final result.
• The mixture of corn flour and maida should be in proportion to get the crunchy and crispy crust of the gobi pakora.
• After deep frying the cauliflower, they should immediately be seasoned so that the seasoning sticks to the crust.

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