This recipe is perfect for your upcoming holiday party! Or tuck it away until the Super Bowl. An indulgence, to be sure, but you deserve it. I’ve been meaning to work up a recipe like this since the cauliflower “wings” craze hit the interwebs a while ago, but I never got around to it. These are crispy and flavourful, and remain so even when they are no longer hot. The boys doused theirs in Buffalo hot sauce, while the rest of us stuck to a sweet BBQ sauce. Delicious!
INGREDIENTS
– 1 large head of cauliflower, cut into florets
Brine
– 2 cups cold water
– 1 tsp garlic powder
– 2 tsp onion powder
– 2 tsp smoked or seasoned salt
– 2 tsp paprika
– 1 tsp poultry spice
Batter
– 2 cups all purpose flour
– 1 cup panko crumbs
– 1/2 cup chickpea flour
– 1/2 cup tapioca flour/starch
– 1 tbsp each: onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, Italian seasoning
– 1 tsp white pepper
– 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
– 3 cups plain soy milk (more if needed)
METHOD
1. The day before: mix together the brine ingredients (I use a blender). Pour into a large freezer bag, then add the cauliflower florets. If your cauliflower is very large, you can make a 1.5 recipe of the brine.
2. Remove as much air a possible so the brine is making maximum contact with the brine. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours, rotating the bag as needed for even brining.
3. The Day of: drain cauliflower in a colander. Heat oil in a deep fryer to 350 degrees.
4. While cauliflower is draining, whisk together the dry ingredients for the batter (i.e. flour to white pepper).
5. Dredge the cauliflower in the flour mixture in batches until coated. Shake off all excess and place on a baking sheet.
6. In a separate bowl, whisk together vinegar and soy milk. Add enough of the soy mixture to the remaining flour mixture to make a thickish batter. Add more soy milk if needed.
7. Add some pieces of cauliflower to the batter. Turn to coat. Leave the cauliflower in the batter for a few minutes to allow the batter to soak into the dredging flour.
8. Shake off excess batter and transfer to a cooking tray or plate.
9. Fry in oil, 3-4 minutes per side, until deep golden brown. Make sure your oil is not too hot or the outside will burn before the cauliflower is cooked.
10. Drain on paper towels and serve while still hot.
NOTE 1: while one batch is frying, add another to the batter so it can soak. Repeat.
NOTE 2: add more soy milk to the batter, if needed. The dredging flour will thicken the batter a bit, so just thin it down again.
