Spicy Cauliflower
I am a happy cauliflower. Please eat me. I’m spicy, too. [Photo credit: Alex Paternostro]
by Seth Paternostro
November 10, 2021
When I was studying in Beijing one summer, I often went to the canteen half a block from my dorm. The air conditioning was a brisk departure from the heavy heat outside, and I enjoyed the convenience of sustaining my monastic memorization of Mandarin with a quick meal. Unfortunately, the line was long, and, to make matters worse, the food was bland, but I endured, for it was “Prison in Beijing,” afterall. Oh, how my approach to life has changed!
However, the one dish that I remember made frequent half-portion appearances on my tray was spicy cauliflower. If my memory serves me right, it was terribly limp, greasy, and invariably room temperature. Bleh! But, do not fear, for the recipe below, rather than re-create an authentic sample of mass-produced grot, merely takes inspiration from that cloistered trip abroad. My cauliflower is crisp and fun, spicy and no-longer white, and promises to tinkle your tongue with every bite.
Serves 4
Total time
20 minutes
Equipment:
cutting board, chef’s knife or cleaver, chopsticks, spoon, wok shovel, colander, large well-seasoned carbon steel wok, wok stand (if needed), large lid, squirt bottle (for fresh oil)
Tableware:
serving bowl and utensils
Ingredients
1 small head white cauliflower
2 cloves garlic
3 tsps sambal oelek
2 tsps light soy sauce
3 tbsps water
Peanut oil, as needed
Salt, as needed
Cilantro, for garnish
Instructions
Set out all equipment, tableware, and ingredients. Rinse the cauliflower.
Trim the cauliflower, removing its outer leaves and tough base, then separate the florets into 2-inch pieces. Smash, peel, then mince the garlic.
Preheat the wok over medium-high. When lightly smoking, squirt in 1 tbsp peanut oil, swirl to coat, dump excess oil into the grease gutter, reheat, and pour in 1 tbsp of fresh oil.
Add the cauliflower with a pinch of salt, and toss briefly.
Pour in the water, and promptly place a large lid over the wok. Steam the cauliflower for one minute, then taste. It should be crunchy and almost fully cooked, not mushy.
Turn down the heat to medium-low, push the cauliflower to one side of the wok, and pour 1 tbsp peanut oil into the empty side.
Add the minced garlic, and stir until fragrant. Reduce the heat if beginning to brown.
Spoon in the sambal oelek, and stir with the garlic until the color changes to a pale orange. Be careful if the sambal oelek splatters.
Increase the heat to medium-high, and immediately toss the cauliflower with the sambal mixture to coat, add the soy sauce, toss, taste, and adjust if needed.
Transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with cilantro leaves, and enjoy this red, white, and new delight!
NUTRITION FACTS:
Calories 86 Total Fat 3.6g (5%) Saturated Fat 0.6g (3%) Cholesterol 0mg (0%) Sodium 148mg (6%) Total Carbohydrate 11.9g (4%) Dietary Fiber 5.4g (19%) Total Sugars 5.1g Protein 4.5g Vitamin D 0mcg (0%) Calcium 52mg (4%) Iron 1mg (6%) Potassium 668mg (14%) - Note: Please read our Nutrition Disclaimer.
Seth Paternostro is a writer and recipe developer based in Chicago. He is a co-founder of Our American Cuisine and graduated summa cum laude from Princeton University with an A.B. in East Asian Studies. You can learn more about him here.
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