EVENT: SUNDAY FUNDAY
THEME: 2022 IS THE YEAR OF THE TIGER
RECIPE: KUNG PAO CAULIFLOWER
Kung Pao Cauliflower is a vegetarian/vegan take on the traditional Chinese Kung Pao. Cauliflower is oven roasted instead of deep frying. With a spicy sauce, enjoy it on its own, with some rice or noodles. I know deep frying makes the cauliflower more crispier but oven roast them so hubby and I can enjoy this delicious, spicy dish without any guilt.
What Is Kung Pao?
Kung Pao, Gong Pao, Kung Po is traditionally a Chinese stir fried dish made from chicken pieces, peanuts, vegetables and chilli peppers. This dish originates from Sichuan Province of China. Sichuan pepper is used to make the sauce spicy. Chicken cubes are coated in flour, deep fried and then added to the sauce. Mostly served with sticky rice, hubby sometimes like to have it with noodles.
As a matter of fact, realized that Kung Pao is similar to the Indo Chinese Manchurian dishes. Manchurian is much more hot, as in chilli wise.
First Taste
Before arriving into Canada, we had to book an airport hotel for quarantine. However, quarantine rules changed and because our tests were negative, we didn’t have to stay at the hotel we had booked. However, they wouldn’t refund our money and we required a place to stay. So offering us their normal rates, we stayed at the hotel for 3 days.
First day was fine, as hubby and I spent most of the day catching up on sleep. The trip from Mombasa to Montreal is really long, and takes 24 hours. We were totally exhausted! Second day, we went out for a walk around the hotel area, looking for a nearby cafe or restaurant to order a hot meal. However, we couldn’t find any. Because of Covid the hotel was not serving any hot meals. We could buy only snacks.
My son ordered some food to be sent to our hotel room. We had left it on him to choose the meals for us.. While he ordered Kung Pao Chicken for hubby, mine was Kung Pao Cauliflower. Came as a huge bowl meal, with so much rice and veggies. And wow, it was so tasty. That’s when I knew I had to try making the dish at home.
Several Variations
Browsing the internet came across so many different versions. Some mild, some spicy, some requiring ingredients that I could not find. Therefore, put several recipes together to come up with my version. Next time would like to deep fry the batter coated cauliflower.
SUNDAY FUNDAY
Sunday Funday is a group of Food Bloggers. Every Sunday we share some fun, traditional, hearty or easy recipes to make Sunday Family Meals a bit more exciting. To join this fun group, visit the Sunday Funday Facebook Page. Request to join in.
THEME: 2022 IS THE YEAR OF THE TIGER
Or in other words the Chinese Lunar New Year. Also known as the Chinese Spring Festival. It is the most important Chinese Festival. This year the celebrations begin from Jan 31st to Feb 6th. A time for feasting, honouring relatives, friends, heavenly deities and ancestors. With this mind Sue Lau who blogs at Palatable Pastimes suggested that we prepare Chinese or Asian dishes to celebrate.
Chinese Food And Hubby
Chinese Food is hubby’s all time favourite. He probably can live on noodles! As for me I like Chinese, but usually don’t get much of a vegetarian choice. I love the Indo Chinese — yes that is a cuisine, that is served in India. Also I love the Chinese at Galaxy Restaurant in Mombasa, my favourite being snap peas, French Beans and Broccoli in a garlic sauce. Besides the take away we enjoyed on arrival in Montreal, I loved the food at Chez Chili in China Town, Montreal. And they have several veggie options. As for my favourite cuisine, ummmm can’t make up mind!
Chinese/ Indo Chinese Recipes On My Blog
Chinese Smiling Sesame Cookie Balls – not at all like oven baked cookies, but so so tasty.
Coconut Buns or Chinese Cocktail Buns
Pakchoi, Bean Sprout and Noodle Soup
Grilled Cauliflower – Indo Chinese Style
Members Of Sunday Funday Celebrating Chinese Lunar Year:
- A Day in the Life on the Farm: Tiger Salad
- Making Miracles: Shrimp Cakes
- Palatable Pastime: San Choy Bow
- Amy’s Cooking Adventures: Chow Steak Kow (Steak Stir Fry)
- Food Lust People Love: Butter Prawns
- Mayuri’s Jikoni: Kung Pao Cauliflower
- Sneha’s Recipe: Pork Chilli With Peppers
- Sizzling Tastebuds: Instant Pot Asian Style Veg Noodles
Ingredients Required For Kung Pao Cauliflower
- Cauliflower – make sure the cauliflower is fresh and worm free. Best to soak cauliflower florets in salt water to remove hidden worms. Allow the florets to dry well. The florets should not be too big or too small.
- Plain Flour – All Purpose Flour. For a gluten free version, try using chickpea flour or gluten free wheat flour.
- Pepper Powder – best to use Sichuan Pepper if you have any. Required for the batter and the sauce.
- Salt – required for the batter and sauce.
- Sesame Seed Oil – for the batter and to stir fry the vegetables. Or use any oil of your choice.
- Cayenne Pepper – dry powder or can use Schezwan/ Sriracha Sauce, homemade garlic & chilli sauce or chilli flakes. Required for both the batter and sauce.
- Dry Red Chillis
- Water – required for the batter and the sauce. Can use vegetable stock.
- Maple Syrup – can replace it with honey or brown sugar.
- Soy Sauce – required for the batter and the sauce. Use light or dark.
- Rice Vinegar – for the sauce. Can replace it with any vinegar you have.
- Ginger – peel and cut into thin slivers.
- Garlic– peel and slice
- Bell Pepper – use any colour. Remove the seeds and pith and chop into chunks or strips.
- Onion – use any of your choice. Peel and cut into chunks or thick strips.
- Roasted Peanuts – can replace them with cashew nuts.
- Spring Onion – chopped for garnishing.
Watch How To Make Kung Pao Cauliflower:
KUNG PAO CAULIFLOWER
Ingredients
INGREDIENTS FOR ROASTED CAULIFLOWER
- 500 g cauliflower florets approx.3-4 cups
- ½ cup plain flour
- 2 tbsp rice flour
- ¼ tsp pepper powder
- 2 tbsp sesame seed oil
- ½-1 tsp cayenne pepper
- ½-¾ cup cup water
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- ¼ cup bread crumbs
INGREDIENTS FOR KUNG PAO SAUCE
- MAKES 1 CUP
- 1-1½ cup veg stock or water
- 2 tbsp cornflour cornstarch
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- ½ tbsp maple syrup
- ½ tsp pepper powder
- 1 ts chilli flakes or red chilli paste
OTHER INGREDIENTS
- 2 whole dried red chillis
- 1 inch ginger peeled & cut into thin strips
- 4-6 cloves garlic peeled & sliced
- 1 medium bell pepper cut into chunks
- 1 medium medium onion peeled & cut into chunks
- ¼ cup peanuts roasted
- ½ cup spring onion chopped
Instructions
PREPARATION OF BATTER:
- Preheat the oven to 200°C.
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper or foil.
- Mix all the ingredients for the batter except the cauliflower and the bread crumbs.
- Add the cauliflower florets to the batter.
- Mix well till all the florets are coated with the batter.
- Add the bread crumbs and mix.
- Layer the cauliflower florets on the prepared baking tray.
- Bake for 20 -30 minutes.
- Remove the roasted cauliflower florets from the oven.
PREPARATION OF THE KUNG PAO SAUCE:
- Mix all the sauce ingredients together.
- For a thinner sauce add more water or stock.
PREPARATION OF KUNG PAO CAULIFLOWER:
- Heat oil in a wok or wide pan over high heat.
- Add onion, bell pepper and stir fry for 2-3 minutes.
- Add ginger and garlic. Stir fry for a few seconds.
- Add the sauce.
- Stir fry till the sauce becomes a bit thick.
- Add the baked cauliflower. Mix well. If the sauce is too thick add little water.
- Add roasted peanuts and spring onion. Mix.
- Serve Kung Pao Cauliflower with rice or noodles. Or enjoy it on its own as a starter.
Notes
- For a gluten free Kung Pao Cauliflower replace the plain flour with chickpea flour.
- Add any Chinese Hot Sauce instead of cayenne powder and chilli flakes.
- Use dark or light soy sauce.
- Bake the cauliflower ahead and keep it on the side. Make the Kung Pao when you're ready to eat, otherwise the cauliflower will become soggy.
- If serving as a main dish with rice or noodles you may need more sauce.
PIN FOR LATER
A little request:
If you do try this recipe then please either
- add a comment below,
- send a picture to my email mayuri.ajay.patel62@gmail.com
- tag me as #mayuri_jikoni on Instagram
- or tag me on Twitter as #Mayuri1962