Korean Fried Cauliflower

Preparation time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 10 mins
Ingredients needed to make Korean Fried Cauliflower:

• 1 head cauliflower, chopped into 1’’ florets
• ½ cup all purpose flour
• ½ cup cornstarch
• 1/3 cup coconut flakes, unsweetened
• 1/3 cup sesame seeds, toasted
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 5 scallions, finely sliced
• ½ cup vodka
• ½ cup cold water
• Sweet and spicy chilli sauce, as required (recipe below)
• Sea salt to taste
• 2 quarts peanut oil

For the sauce:

• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ¼ cup gochujang or Korean chili paste
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 3 tbsp dark brown sugar

Cooking instructions for Korean Fried Cauliflower:

• To make the sauce, place the chili paste in a large bowl and whisk in rest of the sauce ingredients until well combined.
• Pour a couple of tbsp water and continue to whisk to make it runny; set aside until necessary.
• Pour oil in a deep fryer or deep-bottomed wok and heat it to 350 degrees F.
• Toss the flour and cornstarch together until well mixed and stir in a couple of tbsp sea salt, baking powder, coconut flakes as well as the toasted sesame seeds.
• Pour in water, followed right away with vodka and whisk them together to form a uniform, thin batter, free of lumps; add more water if the batter appears too thick.
• Plop the cauliflower florets into the batter, one at a time, and lift them up to drip off the excess batter.
• Dip the coated cauliflower into the hot oil, deep fry them in batches for about 6 minutes, until they turn golden brown; avoid overcrowding.
• Drain them out using a slotted spatula into a plate lined with paper towel.
• Sprinkle a dash of salt over them and toss well to season.
• Drizzle the prepared sauce over the fried cauliflower and toss well to coat evenly.
• Sprinkle the sliced scallions on top of the fried cauliflower and finish it off with some more toasted sesame seeds.