Cauliflower Kung Pao
Inspired by the street vendors in Thailand! My go-to weeknight meal when low on energy but craving something substantial that will hit the spot! It takes about 15 minutes to make. Thai holy basil is the star ingredient and imbues this dish with hints of licorice, cloves, and aniseed to complement the deep flavor notes of our Yassa Signature sauce. The result is spectacular – spicy, aromatic, and comforting.
Ingredients
- ½ jar Yassa Signature Simmer Sauce
- 1 large head of cauliflower cut into medium florets
- 3 Tbsp. toasted sesame seed oil
- 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp. cider or rice vinegar
- 1-2 tsp. crushed red pepper chili flakes
- 6 Tbsp. water
- 1 bunch scallions, dark-green and white parts separated, thinly sliced
- 2 small red shallots thinly sliced
- ½ cup unsalted, roasted peanuts
Instructions
Directions
- To make the sauce, combine half jar Yassa Signature, water, sugar, crushed pepper flakes, vinegar and soy sauce in a medium bowl and stir together; set aside.
- Heat ½ Tbsp. of the sesame seed oil in a wok or large cast-iron skillet over medium-high until hot. Add half the cauliflower; cook, stirring occasionally, until charred in places and beginning to soften, 7–9 minutes. Remove to a plate
- Heat another ½ Tbsp. sesame seed oil and repeat step 2 with remaining cauliflower. Remove to plate.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 2 Tbsp. sesame oil, shallots and scallion whites stirring just until fragrant (be careful not to burn), about 2-3 minutes.
- Add Yassa sauce mixture to pan. Bring to a boil for 2-3 minutes until sauce thickens slightly and immediately reduce the heat. Return cauliflower to pan and cook, tossing, until the sauce coats cauliflower, about 2-3 minutes. Turn off heat, stir in the peanuts and sprinkle the scallion greens on top..
- Serve over cooked jasmine rice.
Recipe Notes
- To get a nice char on the cauliflower; do not overcrowd the pan. Using a cast iron skillet will yield the best results.
- Want double the crunch with every bite? Simply increase the amount of peanuts called for in the recipe. Want it fierier? Double the crushed red chili flakes. You could also use whole dried or fresh chili peppers in place of crushed chili flakes.
- To retain the crunch of the peanuts, add just enough for your meal(s). Peanuts left in the sauce overnight or microwaved will get soft, soggy and unappetizing. If you have leftovers or cooked a double batch, simply stir in peanuts as needed after reheating
- Add the chicken along with any juices accumulated on the plate to the pot.
- Cauliflower can be easily replaced with chicken, shrimp, or tofu
- Prep all your ingredients before you start cooking.
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