Itz Holistically Wholesome

But here is the good news, we can be moderate with our portions and still enjoy various tasty and whole meals. With that in mind, I decided that I wanted to try something that I had never tried with cauliflower, and believe me, I have had it in many ways in the past. So I came across a recipe called “bang bang cauliflower and gave it a go for the last sabbath dinner. I also wanted to keep it as oil-free as possible; I am sure you understand, but if not, I want to take it easy on the arteries. So since frying was not an option, I opted to bake it instead. I was unsure how that would turn out, but I had to try it to find out. I am happy I did because it came out well, not as crunchy as when fried in oil, but just as good. And secondly, I got to enjoy it without worrying about all that grease derived from frying.

So what is bang bang cauliflower?

Bang bang cauliflower is seasoned and coated with a wet batter and then a dried batter which could be either flower or panko bread crumbs, and cooked in an oven, air fryer, or oil until crispy. Next, it is then tossed in a thick spicy-sweet sauce and served. Mouth-watering! So without further due, let us get into it.

Ingredients:

Bang Bang Cauliflower

• 1 head of cauliflower
• 1 cup flour (all-purpose)
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon Vegan chicken style season
• 1 cup unsweetened nut milk (you can dilute regular nut milk with water as well)
• 1/2 teaspoon pink salt
• 1 cup flour or bread crumbs

Preparations:

1. Preheat oven to about 450 degrees. Add a small amount of olive oil to the grease baking sheet, or use a baking sheet.
2. Wash and break apart your cauliflower into tiny pieces, then soak it in salt water for about 10 to 20 minutes. 
3. Next, wash and drain. Add your favorite seasoning to the cauliflower and allow it to marinate for about 30 minutes or until ready to make them. I used garlic powder, onion powder, a pinch of pink salt, and vegan chicken-style seasoning.
4. Add flour, pinch salt, garlic powder, and onion powder in a bowl and mix together. The batter should be sticky but not too thick.
5. In a separate bowl, add flour or bread crumbs. If you use flour, feel free to season, but optional.
6. Next, place the cauliflower in the sticky batter first, then transfer it to a bowl with either bread crumbs or flour and cover evenly. 
7. Next, leave in the oven, hot oil, or air fryer until crispy. Once you have achieved the crispiness you desire, toss it into the sauce. (See the bang bang sauce recipe below).

Placed back into the oven for another 3-5 minutes to allow it to seep into the cauliflower and adhere to it more; I set it on high broil because I wanted it a bit more crispy or crunchy. If you choose to do so, please monitor closely.

Bang Bang Sauce

• 1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise
• 2 Tablespoon Korean hot pepper paste (gochujang). You can use sriracha or chili paste, or cayenne powder. Increase portion for more spice.
• Two tablespoons of maple syrup
• Mix and set aside.

Additional notes:

1. If you add season batter, you will need more powder seasoning than noted in the ingredients.
2. To make kids friendly, be cautious with the pepper ingredients.
3. You can have it all by itself or serve with rice.

Extra Recipe

Battered Fritters

Please do not throw out your leftover batter; you can use it to make fritters or cakes. Just fry in a small amount of oil until crispy and brownish. I added a bit of nutritional yeast before frying. They were most delicious.

The overall taste of this dish will surprise your taste buds. So go ahead and give it a try. Remember, variety is the spice of life.

God bless.