I had the most amazing cauliflower appetizer at Coalition in Edina and decided to try and recreate it at home until I go back again. It’s spicy and tangy and crispy with just the right amount of sweet. This could become your main dish with a side of rice or simply eaten right out of the bowl. I fried up this batch but also have an option for baking.
I loved how this turned out and I’m still obsessed with anything cauliflower. Vegetarians will want to put this dish on repeat. Hope you enjoy!
Crispy Sweet and Spicy Cauliflower
Author: Tonja Engen
Ingredients
- ¼ cup BBQ sauce
- 1 Tbls. Sambal Olek
- 1 Tbls. sesame oil
- 1 Tbls. green onion, minced
- 2 tsp. ginger, minced
- 1 Tbls. honey
- 2 tsp. soy sauce
- ½ cup flour + ½ cup for dredging
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup water
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. sea salt
- 3-4 cups cauliflower florets (approx. 1 small-medium head of cauliflower)
- Oil for frying
- Green onion, for garnish
- sesame seeds, for garnish
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together BBQ sauce, Sambel Olek, sesame oil, green onion, ginger, honey, and soy sauce . Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, milk, water, garlic powder, and salt. Add remaining flour to another bowl.
- Dredge cauliflower in ½ cup flour. In batches, place dredged cauliflower in batter to coat, letting batter drip off before cooking.
- To fry the cauliflower, heat 1-2 inches of oil in a dutch oven. Place battered cauliflower in heated oil and fry on each side for approximately 3-4 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Be sure to not crowd the pan. Remove florets and place on a paper towel to drain oil. Continue frying in batches until all cauliflower is cooked. Toss in the sauce. Serve with additional green onion and sesame seeds as desired.
- If you would like to bake, preheat oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place battered florets in a single layer. Bake for 12 minutes. Remove from oven and toss in sauce Continue baking for an additional 10-12 minutes until crisp and golden brown.
Jennifer Dewing says
I can’t wait to make this! Awesome, Tonja!
Tonja says
I hope you like it!!