Bang Bang Cauliflower

THIS CAULIFLOWER YOU GUYS.

Seriously, who knew cauliflower could be such a chameleon. I mean, once it’s prepped and tossed up in the sweet and spicy chilli sauce it’s hard to believe that it’s even cauliflower hidden under there!

WHY I LOVE CAULIFLOWER:
I love cauliflower in vegetarian cooking for its versatility. You can turn it into soup, rice and now even deliciously batter-coated bites! Cauliflower has a great dense and meaty texture, so it’s really satiating as far as veggies go. It also contains tons of vitamins, fibre and antioxidants. So basically you should be making this recipe on the reg. (I know I’ve been…)

This bang bang cauliflower can be served up as a main dish over rice, or served up for as an Asian style appetizer. You could even serve these as a veggie option at a holiday party. Just leave some toothpicks by the bowl and let your guests pick away!

I’ve recently become obsessed with bang bang sauce, a creamy sweet and spicy chili sauce that is easy to make. It tastes great for dipping chicken, seafood, vegetables, just about anything really. So I decided to apply it to cauliflower.

I’ve got a couple healthier recipe ideas to share and then we’re moving onto sweets, baked goods, chocolate and more chocolate.

Ingredients
FOR THE CAULIFLOWER

• 4 cups bite-sized cauliflower florets, rinsed
• 1/2 cup white rice flour
• 2 TB Ener-G, whisked with 3/4 cup water
• 2 cups panko
• salt and pepper
• spray oil

FOR THE SAUCE

• 1/2 cup vegan mayo (I used Follow Your Heart brand)
• 1/4 cup sweet chili sauce
• 1 TB sriracha
• juice from half a lime

TO SERVE

• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• handful of cilantro, finely minced

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper.
2. Set up a station with three large bowls. In the first bowl, place the rice flour. In the second, place the Ener-G+water. In the third place the panko mixture.
3. Working in batches, place some of the rinsed-and-still-wet cauliflower florets into the first bowl with the rice flour, and use your hands to toss to coat. Then pick up the cauliflower, shaking off any excess flour and place into the bowl with the vegan egg mixture, and toss to coat. Then place the coated cauliflower into the bowl with the panko and toss well to combine. The pieces don’t need to be completely covered in panko, but If you find you are having some trouble with getting it to stick, moisten with a little of the vegan egg mixture and press the panko onto the florets with your fingers.
4. Place the cauliflower onto the lined baked sheet in a single layer. Repeat until all of the cauliflower pieces are coated, then spray the tops of each with a little oil, then season with salt and pepper. Place into the oven for 15 minutes, or until the tops are slightly golden.
5. Remove, flip the florets and respray the other side with a little more spray oil. Bake for 10 minutes more, or until golden all over. Do keep an eye on them towards the end of the bake time to prevent burning! (The bake time will vary based on the size of your florets.)
6. To serve, allow the cauliflower to slightly cool, then drizzle with the sauce as desired. Sprinkle with the chopped scallions and cilantro and serve immediately.