last week I ate at a restaurant that had tempura battered cauliflower that was served in a big bowl with a spicy sweet and sour sauce and sprinkled with green onions and it was absolute heaven. it was so good i ate the entire bowl. it was cauliflower so it doesn’t count right? I needed a fast dinner this week as the sun was (barely) out and we had yard work to do. i made up this quick and simple kung pao roasted cauliflower that would be perfect for a meatless monday.
i served this dish with white rice in a bowl. i thought this dish was light on the sauce so next time i make it i might double the sauce. if you like things extra saucy you might want to give it a whirl yourself. when i have more time i might give the tempura route a try.
joe and i both have a love of roasted vegetables and that is how we prepare them for most meals. i think roasting brings out the natural sugars in the veggies that pairs perfectly with the kick of the kung pao sauce. we both enjoyed this meal so much that joe went back for seconds … and there wasn’t any. it was an inductee into the clean plate club and was put in the “save this” recipe file by joe.
it will take you about 20 minutes and it’s mostly waiting on the cauliflower to roast.
here is what you need.
- olive oil, salt and pepper (for roasting
- 1 head of cauliflower, chopped
- white rice (optional)
- green onions
- peanuts (crushed for topping)
- 1 green pepper, sliced thin
sauce inspired by flavor mosaic
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- pinch of red pepper flakes (adjust to your liking)
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tsp sesame oil
instructions:
preheat your oven to 375F. toss the cauliflower in salt, pepper and olive oil until coated. place on a parchment lined pan and roast for about 20 minutes until golden around the edges.
prepare the rice according to package while the cauliflower roasts.
in a small bowl whisk together all of the sauce ingredients and toss with the hot cauliflower, green peppers in a skillet until the sauce thickens (about a minute or so).
portion rice in bowls and top with cauliflower mixture. sprinkle with crushed peanuts and green onions and serve!
