General Tso’s Cauliflower

4.75 from 55 votes

General Tso's cauliflower is the vegetarian version of the beloved Chinese American General Tso's Chicken. It's just as crispy and tasty!

Prep Time20

Cook Time30

Total Time50

Course: Vegetables

Cuisine: Chinese

Servings:

Calories: 350kcal

Author: Bill

Ingredients

For the cauliflower:

1 small head cauliflower
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
¼ cup water
1 cup rice flour
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
2 to 3 cups peanut or canola oil (for frying)

For the sauce:

1 tablespoon peanut or canola oil
2 teaspoons ginger (finely minced)
2 cloves garlic (finely minced)
5 whole dried red chili peppers (optional)
½ tablespoon Shaoxing wine
½ teaspoon sesame oil
1½ tablespoons light soy sauce
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup water (or stock)
1 tablespoon cornstarch (mixed with 1 tablespoon water)
1 scallion (cut at an angle into half-inch pieces)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cut the cauliflower into 1- to 2-inch (3-5cm) chunks. Mix the cornstarch, baking soda, salt, sesame oil, white pepper, water, and three quarters of the rice flour in a large bowl until it forms a batter.
Toss the cauliflower into the batter, and fold together until the cauliflower is well-coated. Sprinkle the remaining rice flour over the cauliflower, and stir until everything is sticking to it. There should be no more batter at the bottom of the bowl. If there is, just add a little bit more rice flour. If the batter looks dry or crumbly, add a teaspoon or two of water. Sprinkle the toasted sesame seeds evenly over the cauliflower.
Heat the oil to 375°F/190°C in a cast iron pan or small pot. Fry the cauliflower in batches until light golden brown and crunchy (about 3 minutes), and transfer to a baking sheet lined with paper towels.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in your wok over medium heat. Add the minced ginger, and fry for 15 seconds. Add the garlic and dried red pepper. Stir for 10 seconds. Add the Shaoxing wine, and immediately add the sesame oil, light soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, and water (or stock). Turn the heat down to low, letting the entire mixture simmer.
To make the cauliflower extra crispy, fry it for a second time in batches for about 20 seconds or until golden brown, and drain on paper towels. Add the cornstarch slurry gradually to the sauce while stirring constantly, and simmer for 20 seconds. The sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon.
Add the cauliflower and scallions, and toss the entire mixture until everything is well-coated in the sauce. Serve!

Nutrition