Chili Gobi Recipe – Crispy Fried Cauliflower Snack

Cauliflower! Some people love it. I do. Some dont like the texture and bite. However in this crispy snack version, I  believe even those ‘On the Fencers’ will agree it’s great for a tea-time snack! Must be served hot and crispy! Chili Gobi Recipe – Crispy Fried Cauliflower Snack Can be prepared up untill frying well ahead of time.

Chili Gobi Recipe – Crispy Fried Cauliflower Snack

Ingredients:

• 1 head of cauliflower, cut into SMALL florets , cherry sized
• ½ cup plain flour
• ¼ cup cornstarch/cornflour
• ¼ tsp baking SODA
• 1 tsp coriander powder
•  ¾ tsp cumin powder
• ½  tsp light soy sauce
• ½ white vinegar
• 1 tsp garlic, minced finely
• 1 tsp ginger, minced finely
• salt to taste – about ¾ tsp
• 6 mild dry red chilies
• for the garnish :  4 Tbsp spring onion/ scallion green cut into rings, 2 tbsp Mayonnaise for piping, a pinch or two of chat masala ,
• about ½ cup water
• oil for deep frying – I fry in batches so I use 1½  cup oil

Method:

• First make the chili paste: : Add the dry chillies to  a sauce pan of water and bring to boil. Allow to sommer for 5 minutes. Then turn off heat and allow to sit for 30 minutes. Drain the chilies from the water and grind to a paste.
• Rinse the florets thoroughly and drain for 15-20 minutes.
• Combine the (DRY INGREDIENTS) flour, cornflour, baking soda, coriander powder, cumin powder, salt in one bowl.
• Keep the (WET INGREDIENTS ) soy sauce, vinegar, garlic and ginger and 2 tsp of the prepared chilly paste in another non-reactive small bowl till ready to mix the batter.
• When you are set to fry, Heat oil in a deep pot. Test  if the oil is hot enough by dropping a tiny amount of batter, it should sizzle and come up to the top quite quickly.
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients  and add water, about ½ cup and whisk till you get a thick batter that is not runny.
• Add the cauliflower florets and toss with hands till well coated as seen in the picture.
• 
• Fry in batches for a minute or two till crisped and golden. Drain on a large tray with paper towels or parchment paper.
• 
• Once all the florets are fried and drained well, bring the oil back up to a good heat and fry in batches again this time till you get a nice crisped coating and a reddish golden color.  ( you should hear a distinct crusty sound when you knock at a fried floret with the back of a spoon) Spread on a fresh tray of paper towels to drain well.
• Place in serving platter. Sprinkle over the sliced spring onion greens and using a piping bag to drizzle mayonaise all over the top. Lastly sprrinkle  (VERY LIGHTLY) a bit of chat masala. It should barely be noticeable.

Chili Gobi Recipe – Crispy Fried Cauliflower Snack

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•  The coriander and cumin powders should be a fine powder and not crushed whole spices.
•  Do not overcrowd the pot while frying. Once you add all the pieces of one batch wait for a  30 seconds and then separate any pieces that are stuck to each other gently and continue frying