I get asked for this recipe all the time because it’s just so irresistibly moreish. Crisp-baked battered cauliflower florets are coated in a sticky, sweet and sour sauce, fresh chopped cilantro and scallions.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 35 min |
| Active: | 15 min |
| Yield: | 2 servings |
Ingredients
- Olive oil, for the baking sheets
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 pinch of flaky sea salt
- 1 cup chilled sparkling water
- 1 medium head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets (about 1 pound)
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (rice or white vinegar also work well)
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon sriracha (less or more, depending on how hot you like it)
- 2 medium cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 2 scallions, green and white parts, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
- Liberally grease 2 parchment-lined baking sheets with olive oil.
- In a medium-large mixing bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, garlic, ginger, and salt. Make a well in the middle and stir in the sparkling water, whisking with a fork to form a smooth batter.
- Add the cauliflower florets and gently toss to coat them evenly in the batter.
- Place the florets onto the baking sheets, allowing a space between each piece to help them crisp up in the oven (if they are too close, they will steam each other). Bake, turning once, until crispy and golden brown, about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the sauce: Place the brown sugar, ketchup, tamari, vinegar, sesame oil, sriracha and garlic in a small saucepan. Using a wooden spoon, mix well and bring to a gentle, bubbling simmer. Cook, stirring often, until it reduces into a glossy consistency that coats the back of the wooden spoon, about 10 minutes.
- Remove the cauliflower from the oven and tip into a bowl. Drizzle over the sweet and sour sauce, add most of the cilantro and scallions, leaving some behind for garnish, and gently toss to coat each floret.
- Transfer to a serving plate and sprinkle over the remaining cilantro and scallions before serving. Enjoy.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 2 servings |
| Calories | 593 |
| Total Fat | 17 g |
| Saturated Fat | 3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 100 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 9 g |
| Sugar | 23 g |
| Protein | 14 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg |
| Sodium | 1517 mg |
Reviews
I’ve made this many, many times, and it is so easy to do! It’s also incredibly delicious! It’s wonderful paired with rice.
Try making the cauliflower in the air fryer–it’s even better than the oven method. I have even made this with gluten-free flour and it worked wonderfully.
It was amazing.. think I can get it crisper..
I hated Cauliflower prior to this. I’m a believer. Served with roasted corn pepper salsa and smoked chicken wings.
I hated Cauliflower prior to this. I’m a believer. Served with roasted corn pepper salsa and smoked chicken wings.
This was excellent and pretty easy to make! My whole family loved it!
We all loved this! I did add a little grape jelly.
Every single one was eaten!
Every single one was eaten!
Better than takeout!
This was terrific! Its a keeper and is going into our regular dinner rotation – we had it as a main dish over rice.
I was skeptical at first because I’ve seen these types of recipes before, and I was not convinced that battered cauliflower would have the same level of satisfaction as chicken or some other kind of protein. I was wrong! The cauliflower came out crispy and succulent. While I probably can’t top Mary’s sauce – it’s delicious – I can see repurposing this oven-fry method for pairing with buffalo sauce, jerk sauce, or even Thai peanut sauce.
This is so easy and delicious! It’s going in our permanent rotation for sure. Leftovers heat up great in the air-fryer!
Delicious dish, will definitely make again. I did need to roast them a little longer in the oven to get it really crispy.
I give this recipe a 3 for effort but it is a recipe that just proves, some things must be deep fried. Baking with the ingredients in this recipe developed an underwhelming, bland weird texture. I wouldn’t make it again