Crispy Baked Cauliflower with Chinese Lemon Sauce

Ingredients:

For the crispy baked cauliflower:

• 1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets

• ½ cup of flour

• ½ teaspoon sea salt

• Pepper, to taste

• ½ cup of plant milk

• 1 cup panko bread crumbs

• 1 – 2 green onions, sliced (optional)

• Sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)

• Rice, to serve

For the Chinese lemon sauce:

• ½ cup vegetable stock

• 2 cloves of garlic, grated or finely minced

• 2 teaspoons ginger, grated or finely minced

• ¼ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

• ¼ cup sugar

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar

• 1 teaspoon sea salt

• Pepper, to taste

• ½ teaspoon sriracha, or to taste (optional)

• 4 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons of water

Directions:

For the crispy baked cauliflower:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) and line a baking pan with parchment paper.

2. Mix the flour with the sea salt and pepper in a small bowl. Put the milk and panko in two separate bowls. Drop a few cauliflower florets into the flour and coat. Then dunk them in the milk, shaking off the excess, and finally into the panko to coat. Place on the baking pan and bake for 30 minutes or until golden and crispy.

3. Let the cauliflower cool for a minute or two then drizzle over the lemon sauce and toss gently to coat. Serve on rice and sprinkled with sliced green onion and sesame seeds.

For the Chinese lemon sauce:

1. Combine all the ingredients except for the cornstarch slurry in a small pot and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add the cornstarch slurry and simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened – just a minute or two. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly while the cauliflower finishes baking.

#cauliflower #rice