The ultimate snack-with-beer or starter to whet the appetite. Spicy, sweet, savoury – crunchy round the edges and soft in the middle.
- 1 head cauliflower, broken into small florets
- 100g plain flour
- 40g cornflour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp gochujang chilli paste
- 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 1 tbsp tomato puree
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- 3cm ginger, sliced into 2mm rounds
- 2 cloves garlic, lightly squished with the flat of a knife
- Fresh coriander
- Spring onions, finely chopped
- Pre-heat oven to 180C fan (200C) and line a baking tray with baking parchment or a silicon mat
- In a bowl, briefly whisk together the flour, cornflour, baking powder, garlic and salt with 140ml cold water to the consistency of thick pancake batter
- Throw in the little cauliflower florets and stir gently until they’re completely coated with the batter
- Spoon each floret onto the lined baking tray, leaving a bit of space between them so they don’t stick together
- Bake for 20 mins until golden
- While they cook, heat a small saucepan over a medium-low heat and add all the remaining ingredients except the coriander and spring onions
- Stir together and heat to a bubble, stirring for a couple of mins until thickened
- Take the cauliflower out of the oven and tip into a bowl
- Pour over half to two thirds of the sauce and gently toss the toasty florets in it until coated
- Place them carefully back on the lined baking sheet (any sauce left in the bowl can be scraped back into the pan with a spatula)
- Put the cauli back into the oven for 10 mins until browned and crisp round the edges
- Tumble all the crunchy beauties onto a pretty serving plate, pour over the remaining sauce and sprinkle with chopped fresh coriander and spring onions
Eat them hot from the oven while you blow on your fingers and lick your lips.
As a shortcut (or just because you fancy chicken) you can use chicken nuggets instead of cauliflower and toss with the sauce for the final 7 mins of cooking
Sophie cooks 