This dish’s legacy extends beyond the normal Indo-Chinese food that we enjoy. Because of the great taste and intriguing tale behind this fiery Desi Chinese Street food, this dish has earned a place in history and is now on our plates.

Manchurian is a type of Indian Chinese meal produced by roughly cutting and deep-frying items, including chicken, cauliflower (gobi), prawn, fish, mutton, and paneer, sautéing them in soy sauce. It is the product of Chinese cooking and culinary skills adapted to suit Indian preferences. It has now emerged as a popular dish in Indian Chinese cuisine.

 Genesis:

 Despite its name, Gobi Manchurian did not originate in China. It is a cuisine adapted and created in India by Chinese travellers who arrived after World War II. The spicy meal, which suited Indian tastebuds, was the product of the Chinese minority in Kolkata attempting to make its traditional foods more acceptable to the Indian palate. Preparing gobi Manchurian isn’t a difficult process. The dish is divided into two parts: first, the gobi (cauliflower) florets are soaked in a batter and deep fried to turn them crispy. The second step is to make a spicy sauce using garlic, onion, capsicum, and soy, which will be blended with the deep-fried gobi and served.

When we think about gobi Manchurian, Bengaluru is the first location that comes to mind. Although the meal was invented and offered in Kolkata, it has recently become popular in Karnataka’s capital city. This little Chinese food outlet managed by a gentleman named Ravi Gobi is one of the main reasons for the dish’s popularity in the city. He founded the store 23 years ago, in 1999. Even today, people come from all across the city to try his famed gobi Manchurian at the modest business.

 Types of Manchurians:

Manchurian comes in two varieties: dry with gravy. Both varieties are made using common elements such as flour, spring onion, peppers, soy sauce, chilli sauce, chopped garlic, and so on, and they have a traditional spring onion garnish. Other recipes ask for the use of monosodium glutamate to enhance the flavour. However, some people avoid it owing to health concerns. Depending on the recipe and individual taste, it can range from slightly spicy to scorching and flaming.

  • Crispy dry Manchurian: The fritters are often served as a snack or appetiser with ketchup as a dipping sauce. It is popular as a bar snack among drinkers.
  • Gravy Manchurian: The fritters are covered in a thick sauce made of flour that resembles a spicy gravy curry. The main course is typically served with rice dishes such as Chinese fried rice, jeera rice and Szechuan fried rice.

 Conclusion

Ah! You’re a Manchurian enthusiast like us, and you miss that street-style gobi Manchurian since you moved to the US? Well, Come to Banjara Restaurant for authentic desi Indo-Chinese cuisine. We have a wide range of Indian cuisine that will leave you drooling. Bringing the flavour of India to the heart of Virginia.