I think almost everyone has that one Chinese restaurant in their neighborhood that's their go to. Orange chicken is usually one of the dishes you order from that place.
Sweet, tangy, crunchy, gooey goodness. But what if you don't eat meat? Does that mean you should miss out on all this greatness? If your answer is yes, let me be the one to happily tell you, you're wrong. This recipe has all the texture and flavor that make orange chicken great, except it's made with cauliflower. Give the recipe a try, you won't be disappointed.
Vegetarian orange cauliflower
Preparation Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Serves: 4
Ingredients1 medium cauliflower, cut into 1-2 inch florets
1.5 cup plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch
4 eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
2 green onions, chopped
1/3 cup vegetable broth
2 cups fresh squeezed orange juice
zest of 2 oranges
1/3 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ginger peeled and minced into a paste
2-4 cups oil canola or vegetable (depending on size of pot)
1 tablespoon Sriracha
1 teaspoon white pepper
Directions1. In a large bowl mix together vegetable broth, orange juice, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, orange zest, Sriracha, ginger and white pepper. Use 1/3 cup to marinate cauliflower for 20 minutes.
2. Mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with equal amounts of water into a slurry.
3. Put the remaining marinade in a pot or pan and bring to a boil then turn heat on low. Add in the cornstarch slurry and stir constantly until thickened. This will take 2-5 minutes then set aside.
4. Heat oil in a medium sized saucepan on medium heat. While this coming to temperature, drain any excess marinade from cauliflower. Pour in beaten eggs and toss, coating thoroughly.
5. Remove cauliflower from egg wash and toss in the remaining 1.5 cups cornstarch, be sure you are coating all the little nooks and crannies of the florets. In batches, lightly toss in a strainer to remove any excess cornstarch.
6. Turn oil to medium high heat and in small batches carefully place florets into in the oil. Allow to fry until golden brown and cooked tender. Remove from oil and place on a plate lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil.
7. In a bowl toss cauliflower with your preferred amount of sauce, garnish with sesame seeds and green onions and serve with rice.
Pro tip: Try this recipe with your favorite vegetable! You can do this with pretty much any vegetable you like.
