Bang bang cauliflower has its roots in Szechuan cuisine, my version is a Wagamama-inspired vegan dish with a delicious sweet & spicy sauce.
This recipe will take you about 15 minutes at most to chop the veggies and prepare the sauce and you spend just 10-12 minutes cooking.
Sweet and Spicy Fried Cauliflower
I love cauliflower and use it in a huge variety of dishes. I’ve got everything from an Indian inspired aloo gobi curry to Italian-inspired cauliflower stuffed cannelloni and a roasted cauliflower steaks with a North African vibe to a very European creamy cauliflower soup.
My latest recipe is kinda Chinese in its origins, although my take on bang bang cauliflower owes more to Wagamama than the Szechuan cuisine it originally comes from.
It’s a much-maligned place, but it features as an inspiration for several of my recipes. The popularity of my teriyaki duck donburi, ginger chicken udon noodles and katsu chicken curry, indicates you guys like them too!
This is a gloriously quick recipe, frying the cauliflower until crispy takes 6-7 minutes. Then you need just a few more minutes of frantic stir-frying before dinner is served.
The sauce features a combination of some of my favourite hot sauces! Thai sweet chilli sauce, Sriracha sauce and Lao Gan Ma (crispy chilli oil) all make an appearance.
They are tempered by a splash of mirin and seasoned with dark soy sauce, brown sugar and the magic of MSG.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I air-fry the cauliflower?
Technically yes, although in my opinion, it does not give “great” results, sometimes frying stuff in hot oil is just better! But, if you really object to doing that for whatever reason, you can.
Drizzle the cauliflower with a little oil and air-fry at 200° or 390°F for 12-16 minutes shaking the basket a couple of times whilst cooking.
How hot is this sauce?
This is always a bit of an open-ended question. Everyone’s tolerance to capsaicin varies massively, mine is fairly high and I consider this recipe to be moderately hot.
You can increase or decrease the heat easily by changing the amount of crispy chilli oil.
Do I have to add the MSG?
No, but I would encourage you to because it really does amplify the flavours in this dish.
Can I make this in advance?
No, this recipe is best cooked and eaten immediately because everything gets a bit soggy if it is left to sit.
Is all Thai red curry paste vegan/vegetarian?
No, I have mentioned this in the notes for the recipe. It is not unusual to find shrimp paste in some Thai curry pastes, so be sure to read the packet before you buy it.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve my bang bang cauliflower with some plain rice.
If you want to put in a little more effort, egg fried rice is great too. But you do need to manage your timing a little more carefully.
Noodles are also a great side dish for this recipe, everything from some plain chow mein noodles to my cold soba noodle salad would work wonderfully.
Whisper it quietly, but I’ve even served this with my salt and pepper chips recipe and it was superb!
Equipment Used
I only mention specific brands of equipment if I think they make a material difference to a recipe. But, if you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/Stovetop.
- Slotted, serving and serving spoons.
- Kitchen paper.
- Chopping board.
- Kitchen knife.
- A thermometer to check the oil temperature. I use a sugar thermometer.
- Mixing bowl.
- A combination of weighing scales and measuring spoons.
Bang Bang Cauliflower Recipe
My take on bang bang cauliflower is inspired by one of Wagamama's popular side dishes, a fried cauliflower recipe in a sauce made from a combination of hot sauces, a bit of soy and sugar to give it all a beautiful hot, sweet and sour balance.
Ingredients
For the Bang Bang Sauce:
- 3 Tbsp Sriracha Sauce
- 2 Tbsp Sweet Chilli Sauce
- 2 Tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
- 1 Tbsp Mirin
- 1 Tbsp Water
- 1 Tsp Thai Red Curry Paste
- 1 Tsp Crispy Chilli Oil (Lao Gan Ma)
- 1 Tsp Dark Brown Sugar
- ⅛ Tsp MSG
For the Cauliflower:
- 1 Small Head of Cauliflower (Around 350g Florets)
- 1 Tbsp Cornflour
- 1 (150g) Red Onion
- 6 Spring Onions
- Oil for Frying
- Sesame Seeds for Garnish
- 15g (Half of a thumb sized piece) Ginger (Optional Garnish)
- Fresh Coriander Leaves (Optional Garnish)
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl and mix them well.
- Cut the cauliflower into bite-sized florets and toss them into a bowl.
- Sprinkle the cornflour over the cauliflower and toss to coat well.
- Top and tail the red onion, cut it in half and then slice it into strips around 5mm (¼") thick.
- Slice the spring onions into rounds at a 45-degree angle to the stem approximately 5mm (¼") thick.
- Peel and cut the ginger into very thin batons.
- Heat 2-3cm (1") of oil in the base of a wok until it reaches around 160-170°C, then fry the cauliflower until golden and crispy. I do this in two batches (around 3 minutes each batch), and then transfer to kitchen paper to absorb any excess oil.
- Drain all but a scant coating of oil from the wok and return it to a high heat.
- When it begins to shimmer stir fry the red onion and spring onions for 2 minutes.
- Return the cauliflower to the wok, add the sauce and cook for 1 minute tossing to coat the cauli in the sauce.
- Serve garnished with the ginger batons, small coriander leaves and sesame seeds.
Notes
If you are making this vegan or vegetarian ensure that the Thai curry paste contains no shrimp paste.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 400Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 1611mgCarbohydrates: 42gFiber: 8gSugar: 26gProtein: 8g
Calorific details are provided by a third-party application and are to be used as indicative figures only.