Vegetarian Orange Chicken Cauliflower
Try this Vegetarian Orange Chicken Cauliflower recipe, or contribute your own.
Try this Vegetarian Orange Chicken Cauliflower recipe, or contribute your own.
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp corn starch
- 1/4 cup vegetable broth
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 large head of cauliflower cut into bite sized pieces
- 1/3 cup corn starch
- 1 tsp minced ginger
- 2 to 3 tbsp canola oil
- 1 tsp fresh orange zest
- 1 tbsp fresh orange juice
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar (or dry sherry)
- 2 tbsp sliced green onions
- toasted sesame seeds
- Carbohydrate 45.6491167863042 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 16.714613228562 g
- Fiber 14.1730276849612 g
- Protein 16.935900881167 g
- Saturated Fat 2.34256488107646 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (606g)
- Sodium 3609.16368264215 mg
- Sugar 31.476089101343 g
- Trans Fat 1.05769491726072 g
- Calories 361 calories
Step-by-step
- In a large bowl combine the sesame oil, egg, 3 tbsp soy sauce and corn starch until a thin batter forms. Toss in the cauliflower and let sit while you make the sauce, tossing every few minutes to coat all pieces.
- In a small bowl whisk together all the ingredients for the sauce except the broth and corn starch. Combine the broth an corn starch in a separate small bowl and whisk till no more clumps. Combine with the other sauce ingredients. Set aside.
- Heat a large wok over medium high heat, add 2 tbsp of canola oil and begin to fry the cauliflower on all sides, in batches, making sure not to crowd the pan (approximately 1-2 minutes per side). Once all the cauliflower is all cooked remove any excess oil from pan and wipe clean.
- Return pan to heat and add 1 tsp of oil. Add the ginger and garlic to pan and stir, cooking for 30 seconds, until very fragrant. Pour in the sauce and stir constantly until it begins to thicken. Remove from heat and gently toss in the cauliflower, turning to coat evenly. Garnish with green onions and toasted sesame seeds if desired. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
The ingredient list specifies corn starch, rice wine vinegar, and orange zest, but it completely omits how moisture behaves inside a hot wok when those elements meet. Raw brassicas hold an immense amount of internal water, which continuously migrates outward during cooking and threatens to dissolve the protective starch barrier before the exterior can achieve proper rigidity. To combat this physical inevitability, fry the florets in small batches across a properly preheated surface while maintaining adequate space between pieces to let steam escape instantly rather than condensing back onto the batter.
Managing Moisture and Starch Hydration
When you submerge the cut florets into the thin batter made from sesame oil, egg, and starch, a delicate slurry forms around the irregular surfaces of the vegetable. Corn starch relies on thermal energy to gelatinize, absorbing free water molecules and locking them into a rigid network as heat transfers from the canola oil. If the pan becomes overcrowded during the 1 to 2 minutes of frying per side, ambient temperature drops rapidly, preventing this crucial structural set and leaving you with a soggy exterior that cannot support the weight of the incoming sauce. Fry until golden brown and crisp, keeping the oil temperature stable between batches.Balancing the Acid and Sugar Equilibrium
Citrus glazes rely on a precise ratio of acid to sugar to prevent the sauce from tasting flat or overwhelmingly cloying. Rice wine vinegar provides volatile acetic acid that cuts through the sweetness of the sugar and the richness of the sesame oil, but simmering the sauce requires constant attention because starches burn easily once liquids reduce. Whisking the corn starch and vegetable broth separately before combining it with the aromatics prevents lumps from forming, ensuring that the thickening agent distributes evenly when exposed to heat. Cook the ginger and garlic for precisely 30 seconds to release their fat-soluble flavor compounds without burning the minced alliums, then pour the liquid directly into the center of the wok to initiate rapid thickening.
