Sticky Sesame Cauliflower

Hello everyone. I’m not able to post as often as I wish because of some health issues. I do miss it though.

I love Sticky Cauliflower but the original recipe has a lot of oil. This one requires less oil and the cauliflower is baked without compromising on the flavour. I used a mixture of breadcrumbs and panko breadcrumbs and they tasted great. The soda gives the batter a very light texture. It’s not very time consuming either. You can prepare the sauce while the florets are baking. I reserved some of the sauce and spooned it over the steamed vegetables while serving.

I used broccoli and carrots to garnish but you can use whatever vegetables you have. A healthy alternative and one that the whole family will enjoy. Do give it a try.

PREP: 40 minutes COOK TIME: 25-30 minutes Serves: 4

Ingredients

For the crumb mixture:

1 cup dry breadcrumbs

3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

2 tbsp flour

1 tsp cumin powder

1/2 tsp pepper powder

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp salt

For the batter:

1 cup flour

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp fennel powder

!/2 tsp red chilli powder

1 bottle soda/sparkling water

Salt and pepper to taste

For the sauce:

1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup sweet chilli sauce

1/4 cup vegetarian oyster sauce

2 tbsp sesame oil

1 tsp soy sauce

2 tsp sriracha sauce

2 tsp vinegar

1 large cauliflower, broken into florets

3 tbsp olive oil

Thinly sliced green onions, grated orange zest and lightly toasted sesame seeds

Steamed broccoli and carrots

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine all the ingredients for the crumb mixture and mix well. Set aside.

Combine all the ingredients for the batter. Use just enough soda to obtain a thick batter for dipping the florets. It should coat the florets but should not be too thick or too thin. Dip the cauliflower in the batter and then in the breadcrumb mixture. Repeat for all the florets and place them on the baking sheet. Drizzle some olive oil over them and toss to coat. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the cauliflower is tender and golden brown. Turn the florets midway if necessary.

Meanwhile, combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a small pan and cook over low heat until just warmed, about 5 minutes. Transfer the florets to a large bowl and spoon about three-fourths of the sauce over them. Toss gently to coat them well.

Serve the florets on a large platter with the steamed vegetables of your choice. Sprinkle the orange zest, green onions and sesame seeds on top.