Step 1

Make the Manchurian Sauce. Mix together soy sauce, chili sauce, ketchup, sugar, sesame oil, and vinegar in a bowl. Set aside. In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and water until well combined.

Step 2

Heat a flat-bottomed wok* over medium-high heat until it just starts to smoke. Then add 3 tablespoons of the oil and swirl the pan to get it up the lower sides of the pan. Add the ginger, garlic, and chili peppers, Cook for 1 minute, shaking the pan back and forth or stirring frequently. Add the shallots, scallion whites and light green parts, and green bell pepper, and season with a pinch of salt. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring or shaking the pan often, or until the aromatics start to get some color.

Step 3

Add the sauce and stir fry for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir the cornstarch slurry again to incorporate, and then pour it into the pan. Mix well and stir until the sauce turns glossy and thickens a bit (should be very quick). Turn off the heat and allow the sauce to come to room temperature.**

Step 4

Please read through the instructions before proceeding and read the "Tips" section, especially if you're new to deep frying.

Step 5

Make the cauliflower batter: mix together the all-purpose flour or rice flour, cornstarch, garlic, ginger, chili powder, and salt in a large bowl. Gradually pour in the water and whisk until you have a lump-free and smooth batter that is quite thick and viscous (it should feel a little heavy with some resistance). Be cautious with the water (rice flour needs less water than AP flour).***

Step 6

Heat the oil. Add enough oil to a saucepan or deep heavy-bottomed pan for deep frying, no more than 1/2 full of oil. Heat over medium heat. Line a large plate with a few paper towels.

Step 7

Coat the florets. While the oil is heating, add a few florets to the batter and use a silicone spatula to toss the florets all over, coating all the crevices. Continue adding a few more florets until they're all coated.

Step 8

Fry the cauliflower. Once the oil is at 335º-350ºF, lift out a few florets using a slotted spoon and add to the hot oil. Add a few more in batches, until half of the florets are in the oil. Wait 1 minute before stirring to prevent the batter from slipping off and sticking to other florets.

Step 9

Fry the florets for a total of 6 to 10 minutes, stirring from time to time, until they are golden brown (not just golden). Scoop up the florets with the spider or slotted spoon and gently shake it up and down to get rid of excess oil. Strain florets onto the paper towel-lined surface.Note: The exact time depends on the size of your pan and how much oil you have (rice flour is a little quicker than AP flour). Don’t worry if the florets stick together, as it’ll be easy to pry them apart once they’re out of the oil.

Step 10

Allow the oil to return to 335º-350ºF—it should take 1 to 2 minutes. Meanwhile, gently stir the remaining florets in the batter to ensure they’re well coated. Repeat the frying process with the second half of the florets.

Step 11

Increase the heat to high and wait until the oil is at 375-400ºF (takes 3 to 6 minutes).**** Replace the paper towels with new ones.

Step 12

Use the spider or spoon to add all of the florets to the oil and flash fry briefly, or until deeply golden browned (20-30 seconds for rice flour, 1 minute for AP flour). Strain onto the paper towels and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt.

Step 13

Coat the cauliflower in sauce. When the florets are done frying, add them to the sauce (off the heat) and mix gently until well coated. Garnish with the reserved scallion greens and chopped cilantro. Serve immediately.