In the wake of tensions between India and China, among others, Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Ramdas Athawale, has called for a ban on Chinese food.
In the 1970s, a young chef of Chinese ancestry at a Bombay restaurant coated pieces of diced chicken with cornflour and deep fried them. He then tossed the chicken cubes into a brown gravy that combined vinegar, soy sauce and corn-starch with onions, ginger, garlic and green chillies. Word spread. People loved this marriage of Indian and Chinese culinary sensibilities. In less than a decade, Chicken Manchurian became synonymous with Indian-Chinese cuisine. It mattered little that Manchurian was never a culinary style in the country of its creator’s ancestors. Very soon the word was suffixed to gobi (cauliflower florets) and paneer. Tomatoes, coriander and even garam masalas added their flavours to the Manchurian sauce. But a Google search on Manchurian today throws up an unappetising word — “ban”. In the wake of tensions between India and China, among others, Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Ramdas Athawale, has called for a ban on Chinese food.
The Indian Chinese community numbers less than 5,000 people. But “Chinese” is a section in menus of eateries as diverse as street food joints and roadside dhabas, Udupi restaurants and outfits that serve gourmet fare. The mash-up of Indian spices and Chinese cooking techniques is amongst the marvels of contemporary culinary history. And like most items in culinary history, fixing origins to most dishes that comprise this delectable fare is difficult. The bland chicken curry that the first-generation Chinese immigrants got from their home country, for example, is said to have been transformed into the highly addictive chilly chicken. But another school believes that some enterprising chef took elements of the spicy Indian chicken curry, infused them with Chinese elements, such as the soya sauce.
The Kung Pao potato at the roadside eatery bears a closer resemblance to the zeera aloo than the dish made in China’s Sichuan province. Then there are the Chinese Bhel and Chinese Chaat. Let the troubles between the two nations not cloud such culinary imagination.
FAQs
Gobi Manchurian is a popular Indo Chinese appetizer made with cauliflower, corn flour, soya sauce, vinegar, chilli sauce, ginger & garlic. To make gobi manchurian, cauliflower is first coated in batter & then deep fried until crisp. Then these are tossed in sweet, sour and hot manchurian sauce.
Is Gobi Manchurian healthy? ›
On one hand, cauliflower, the main ingredient in Gobi Manchurian, is a highly nutritious vegetable. It is low in calories and carbohydrates but high in fibre, vitamin C, and other essential nutrients.
What's the difference between Manchurian and Gobi Manchurian? ›
Gobi manchurian is the vegetarian version of chicken manchurian, a dish that is said to be invented by Nelson Wang, a Mumbai-based Indian restaurateur of Chinese descent in the 1970s. It is a classic of the fusion genre, says Peter.
What is the difference between Gobi Manchurian and Gobi 65? ›
Gobi 65 is fried cauliflower which is made by mixing cauliflower with spices, flour, ginger and garlic which is then fried till crispy. While gobi manchurian has some kind of sauce coated with fried cauliflower.
Why is Gobi Manchurian so good? ›
The combination of the deep-fried cauliflower and the tasty sauce is what makes this dish so appealing. This is a popular menu item in most Indian restaurants and is usually had as an appetizer. It is a great option for vegetarians who do not eat meat.
What does gobi mean in Indian? ›
This is a classic Indian dish made with potatoes, cauliflower and a blend of spices. It is perfect on its own as a snack, served with Naan Bread (recipe available on our website) or as a side dish with a curry. Aloo means potato in Hindi, Gobi means cauliflower.
What are the disadvantages of gobi? ›
Side-Effects & Allergies of Cauliflower (Phool Gobhi)
Some of the side effects are an increase in breastfeeding, pregnancy complications, chances of hypoglycemia increases, hypotension can be caused, kidney stones can be formed, and certain allergies can be caused by consuming cauliflower in large quantity.
Can diabetics eat Gobi Manchurian? ›
Gobi Manchurian are fried foods that make them a medium Glycemic index food of the range 56-69. This GI value can still cause a spike in blood glucose levels. To manage this, check the portion size or limit the portions to 1-2 balls of Manchurian per plate.
Can we eat gobi in weight loss? ›
Cauliflower has several properties that may help with weight loss. First, it is low in calories with only 27 calories per cup (107 g), so you can eat a lot of it without significantly increasing your calorie intake ( 1 ). It can also serve as a low calorie substitute for high calorie foods, such as rice and flour.
Is Manchurian Chinese or Indian? ›
History. The word "Manchurian" means native or inhabitant of Manchuria (in northeast China); the dish, however, is a creation of Chinese restaurants in India, and bears little resemblance to traditional Manchu cuisine or Northeastern Chinese cuisine.
Manchuria, historical region of northeastern China. Strictly speaking, it consists of the modern provinces (sheng) of Liaoning (south), Jilin (central), and Heilongjiang (north). Often, however, the northeastern portion of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region also is included.
What is Manchurian sauce made of? ›
What ingredients are typically used in Manchurian Gravy? The main ingredients for Veg Manchurian Gravy include mixed vegetables (such as cabbage, carrots, bell peppers), all-purpose flour, cornstarch, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, green chilies, tomato ketchup, chili sauce, vinegar, and spring onions.
What is the chemical in gobi manchurian? ›
Similarly, the unsafe samples of gobi manchurian had tartrazine, sunset yellow and carmoisine. A ban is already in place over the use of colouring agent rhodamine-b, a suspected carcinogenic substance.
Which country invented gobi manchurian? ›
Gobi/ chicken manchurian also comes with its own “authentic” origin story. This one involves Nelson Wang, a Chinese chef from Kolkata, who supposedly dredged chicken cubes in cornflour and tossed them in a garlic-soy-vinegar sauce at his restaurant in Mumbai and created the dish.
Can we eat gobi manchurian with roti? ›
Serve gobi manchurian with roti, Schezwan Sauce, red chili garlic chutney or tomato ketchup. You can also use it as a filling and wrap it in a thin roti, tortilla, Naan or Pita Bread then fill it with shredded carrots, cabbage, onions and any sauce of your choice.
What are Manchurian balls made of? ›
There are two different variants of Manchurian, dry or semi dry and with gravy. Both variants are prepared by using common ingredients like corn flour, maida flour, spring onion, bell peppers, soy sauce, chili sauce, minced garlic, ground pepper, etc. and has typical garnish of spring onion.
What is the flavor of Manchurian? ›
About Manchurian Gravy
The sauce has a mix of eclectic flavors like sweet, savory, spicy and sour. This particular recipe is also vegan.
Is Gobi Manchurian good for diabetics? ›
Gobi Manchurian are fried foods that make them a medium Glycemic index food of the range 56-69. This GI value can still cause a spike in blood glucose levels. To manage this, check the portion size or limit the portions to 1-2 balls of Manchurian per plate.
Are Manchurian noodles spicy? ›
Manchurian Instant Noodles are Quick and tasty noodles with a Manchurian flavor twist. Not too spicy but has the needed kick.
In the wake of tensions between India and China, among others, Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Ramdas Athawale, has called for a ban on Chinese food.