Description
This Vegan Sticky Sesame Cauliflower is a deliciously crispy and flavorful dish featuring battered cauliflower florets baked to perfection and coated in a tangy, sweet, and spicy sesame sauce. Perfect as a plant-based appetizer or main course, it combines a golden crunchy texture with a rich, umami-packed sauce made from tamari, maple syrup, tomato paste, and sriracha, garnished with toasted sesame seeds for an irresistible finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Batter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour or gluten-free baking flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup plant-based milk such as almond milk
- 1 medium head cauliflower, around 6 cups, chopped into florets
Sauce
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- ¼ cup tamari or soy sauce
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- ½ tbsp Sriracha
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- ½ cup water
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp fresh grated ginger
- ¼ cup sesame seeds
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 180°C (400°F) and line a baking tray with parchment paper to prepare for baking the cauliflower.
- Mix Batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, salt, and plant-based milk until you get a smooth batter with no lumps.
- Prepare Cauliflower: Trim and chop the cauliflower into medium-sized florets, making sure they are uniform for even cooking.
- Batter Cauliflower: Dip each cauliflower floret into the batter, ensuring it’s well coated. Arrange the battered florets on the prepared baking tray.
- Bake Cauliflower: Bake the battered cauliflower in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes, or until they are crispy and golden brown.
- Make Sauce Mixture: In a bowl, whisk together tomato paste, rice vinegar, tamari, maple syrup, and sriracha until well combined. In a separate small bowl, mix cornstarch with water to create a slurry.
- Cook Sauce: Heat sesame oil in a pan over medium heat. Sauté the diced onion, minced garlic, and grated ginger until fragrant and softened, about 3-4 minutes. Then add the sauce mixture and cornstarch slurry, stirring continuously until the sauce thickens, about 3-5 minutes.
- Combine: Toss the baked cauliflower florets in the thickened sauce ensuring each piece is well coated. Sprinkle sesame seeds over the top.
- Serve: Serve immediately while warm as a flavorful appetizer or main dish.
Notes
- For gluten-free option, use gluten-free baking flour and tamari instead of soy sauce.
- Adjust the amount of Sriracha according to your preferred spice level.
- Use a light-colored baking tray to prevent over-browning.
- Make sure to coat the florets evenly in batter for maximum crispiness.
- Serve with steamed rice or a fresh green salad for a complete meal.
