Kung Pao Cauliflower
This Kung Pao Cauliflower recipe features crispy cauliflower florets tossed in a spicy sauce with peppers and nuts.
Equipment
- Frying pan
- Mixing bowl
Ingredients
For the Cauliflower
- 1 medium head cauliflower, cut into florets
- ½ cup cornstarch
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup all-purpose flour (or rice flour for gluten-free)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup oil for frying (or a baking/air-frying alternative)
For the Kung Pao Sauce
- ¼ cup soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
- 2 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar or maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with water (to thicken)
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more for extra heat)
For Stir-Frying
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 1 cup red bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup green bell pepper, diced
- ½ cup roasted peanuts or cashews
- 3 pieces dried red chilies (optional, for authentic heat)
- ¼ cup green onions, sliced (for garnish)
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix cornstarch, water, all-purpose flour, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper to create a batter.
- Dip cauliflower florets into the batter, ensuring they are well-coated.
- Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Fry the coated cauliflower until golden brown and crispy.
- In a separate bowl, combine soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and cornstarch mixture to make the Kung Pao sauce.
- Remove cauliflower from the pan and set aside. In the same pan, add oil and stir-fry red and green bell peppers.
- Add the fried cauliflower and Kung Pao sauce to the pan and mix well.
- Stir in peanuts or cashews and dried red chilies. Cook for another few minutes until heated through.
- Garnish with green onions before serving.
Notes
You can adjust the level of spice by adding more red pepper flakes. For a gluten-free option, use tamari and rice flour.