Recipe: This Sticky, Spicy Kung Pao Cauliflower Is Better Than Takeout

Katrina Meynink knows how to make good with veggies. In this recipe for Kung Pao cauliflower, the Aussie food writer and columnist delivers all the saucy, spicy-sweet flavour of Kung Pao chicken – without the meat.

Roasted cauliflower takes centrestage, crisping in the oven before being coated in a sticky, punchy glaze made with hoisin, soy, black vinegar and Sichuan pepper. Topped with peanuts, spring onions and fried shallots, and served over rice, it’s a quick, satisfying dinner with all the nostalgic charm of childhood takeout.

Katrina Meynink’s Kung Pao cauliflower

Serves 4 (with rice)
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30-35 minutes

Ingredients

1 small head of cauliflower cut into florets
Flavourless oil to coat
4 dried red chillies, halved lengthways, seeds removed

Kung Pao sauce
120ml hoisin sauce
120ml sweet soy sauce
120ml Chinese black vinegar
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp ground Sichuan pepper (substitute ground white peppercorns if unavailable)
4 garlic cloves, finely grated
1½ tbsp freshly grated ginger
4 tsp cornflour (cornstarch)

To serve
1 generous handful of spring onions (scallions), sliced
80–120g (½–¾ cup) salted peanuts
Fried shallots
Steamed jasmine or coconut rice

Method

Preheat the oven to 215°C.

Place the cauliflower florets in a non-stick roasting tin, drizzle with enough oil to very lightly coat, and season generously with salt. Roast for 15–18 minutes – you want them to be slightly crisp and have a few gnarly tanned bits.

While the cauliflower is roasting, whisk all the Kung Pao sauce ingredients together in a bowl until combined. You may need to whisk a few times to eliminate any lumps of cornflour.

Pull the cauliflower from the oven and pour the sauce all over, add the dried chillies and use tongs to turn and coat the cauliflower pieces in the sauce. Return the roasting tin to the oven.

Roast for another 15 minutes, stirring and tossing the cauliflower a few times during cooking to prevent burning. Remove and scatter with the spring onions, peanuts and fried shallots, and serve with rice. You could also add some sliced fresh red chilli for extra colour and heat.

This is an edited extract from Kitchen Keepers by Katrina Meynink, published by Hardie Grant Books; RRP $40.