Chilli Gobi (Spiced Cauliflower)

"Chilli Gobi" is the most popular and the most wanted appetizer in any Indian Restaurant. As the name goes "Chilli", its a very spicy dish yet super tasty and you just can't stop eating after the very first bite. The recipe is very much similar to Gobi Manchurian, but this one is a dry dish with no gravy. The Chilli Gobis and Gobi Manchurians are a Chinese inspiration which the Indians improvised it to suit their own taste buds. We Indians have a tendency to make everything heavy and mostly fattening but we concentrate only on the TASTY OUTCOME!! Healthy living is always secondary for us!! ;) But once in a while, you can spoil yourself...aye..!!!

• 1 large cauliflower (cut into florets)

Marination:

• 4 tbsp maida (plain flour)
• 3 tbsp cornflour
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp chilli sauce
• 1/2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• pinch of ajinomoto (MSG)
• salt to taste
• pinch of food colour (red)

1. Bring water to boil in a big saucepan & add the cauliflorets with some salt to it. Add a drop of lime juice to it. Blanch the florets for a maximum of 3 minutes. Drain and keep aside.
2. Take a mixing bowl & combine all the above ingredients to a thick batter. Add required water to combine all of it. Add the blanched florets to it & coat the batter on them. Keep tossing until the florets are fully covered with the batter. Keep aside.
3. Heat oil in a deep based pan or a kadai for deep frying these battered florets.
4. When the oil is super hot, fry these florets in batches until crispy on the outside & till the batter is fully cooked. Place the fried florets on a kitchen towel to absorb the excess oil.

Final Saute:

• 2 big onions (diced)
• 1 capsicum/bell pepper (diced)
• 3-4 green chillies (slit lengthwise)
• 1/2 tsp grated ginger
• 1/2 tsp grated garlic
• 3-4 spring onions (finely chopped)
• 2 tsp chilli sauce
• a pinch of ajinomoto (MSG)
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp oil

1. Heat oil in a deep base pan & add the slit green chillies, diced onions, ginger & garlic. Saute well for couple of minutes until the onion turn light golden. Add in the diced capsicum/bell pepper to it & saute again.
2. Now add the fried florets to it along with chilli sauce, ajinomoto, chopped spring onions & salt if needed. Mix everything together for 4-5 minutes. Switch off the heat.
3. Garnish it with some chopped coriander & serve it as an appetizer.