Bang Bang Cauliflower 💥

If you're looking for new ways to use up that cauliflower, look no further. This recipe is different to the bang bang cauli you get at wagamamas, but it's a lot simpler to make and still packs a punch of Asian flavours, plus it tastes a bit like crispy fried chicken (which is a GREAT surprise). Each serving comes down to ~462 calories so it's perfect for a light meal served with baby gem lettuce cups or as a side! We've also added a few tips on how to make it vegan so check that out at the very bottom. This recipe was inspired by Lauren Grant's "Crispy Bang Bang Cauliflower" with a few modifications and additions 👩🏻‍🍳

Serves: 3

Difficulty: Level 2

Health factor: ⭐⭐️⭐️⭐️

Ingredients

• 1 large cauliflower, chopped into bite-sized florets

• 160gr panko breadcrumbs

• 1tsp sea salt

• 1tsp ground black pepper

• 1/2tsp paprika

• 1tsp garlic powder

• 1/2tsp chili powder (optional)

• 2tbsp extra virgin olive oil

for the coating:

• 40gr plain flour

• 32gr cornflour

• 2 eggs

• 2tbsp any type of milk

for the Bang Bang sauce:

• 6tbsp mayo

• 3tbsp sriracha sauce (less if you don't want it too spicy)

• 3tbsp Thai sweet chili sauce (more if you want it sweeter)

• 2tsp mirin (or rice wine vinegar or normal vinegar)

(optional) to serve:

• 1 baby gem lettuce

Instructions

1. Pre-heat your oven to 200 degrees celsius and line 3 baking trays with baking paper or a silicone mat. If you don't have 3 baking trays you could just use 2 and then move cauli after to create the last batch.

2. In a relatively small bowl, beat your eggs and milk. Set aside.

3. In another bowl, combine breadcrumbs, sea salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, chili powder, and olive oil.

4. In another separate bowl, mix together your plain flour and cornflour. You should now have 3 bowls.

5. Now the next step might seem a bit messy but once you get into it, it's not that difficult! You want to ensure you have one hand dipping and doing the dirty work, while another hand stays clean so you can later put the baking tray in the oven. Dip one cauliflower floret at a time in flour mixture to coat; shaking excess flour off.

6. Take a fork and use this fork to help you dip the floret into the egg mixture and coat all over before moving it to the breadcrumb mixture to get the crispy coating we want. Using your fingers, lightly push the breadcrumbs against the floret so they stick better.

7. Transfer coated cauliflower to prepared baking sheet and repeat step 5 - 7 with remaining cauliflower pieces.

8. Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 20 minutes, ensuring you flip them after the first 10 minutes.

9. Whilst they are baking, make your Bang Bang sauce. All you need to do is mix the mayo, sriracha, sweet chili sauce and mirin all together. You can either use all this sauce to coat your florets once they are done, or use it as a dipping sauce!

10. Once florets are done, set aside to cool for 5 minutes or so before eating. I personally loved tossing my florets in the sauce and serving it on some baby gem lettuce. Surprisingly so filling!

Hot tip: if you want to make this vegan, you can perhaps use flaxseed eggs, or just dip the cauli in nut milk before dipping it in the breadcrumbs. You can also obviously use vegan mayo!