General Tso’s Cauliflower

This dish resembles and tastes like General Tso’s Chicken.  Tools are a rice cooker, wok, and one sauce pan along with mixing bowls and a baking sheet.  Parchment paper makes clean up easy.  The crispy cauliflower can also be used with other sauces as a great fried chicken substitute.

I think this recipe also lends itself very well to modifications.  You can tweak the sauce, and use any veggies you like.  You can add the cashews or not.  You can add pineapple chunks (I don’t like them, so I do not).  Whatever you like!

The dish is easy to make.  In order of prep… make rice in a rice cooker and preheat the oven.  Cut up the cauliflower.  Put the batter covered cauliflower in the oven.  While it is cooking, make the sauce in one pot.  When the sauce starts to simmer, start cooking the veggies in the wok.  Turn the heat down on the sauce and let it set.  Finish the wok, it should be done about the same time as the cauliflower so everything gets tossed together at the end.  Prep time is 5 minutes.  Total time to serve is about 35 minutes.

Start with the cauliflower instead of chicken recipe, or use the marinated tofu blocks.

Ingredients
  •  “Cauliflower instead of Chicken”

Veggies

  • Broccoli Florets
  • 4oz White Button Mushrooms, sliced.
  • Yellow onion, sliced
  • Peppers (any color) sliced
  • ½ cup raw cashews
The Sauce
  • 3 tablespoons dark soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons white wine or rice wine
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar or distilled white vinegar
  • 1/4 cup vegetable broth stock (or water)
  • 4 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon roasted sesame seed oil
  • 1 tablespoon corn starch
  • 2 teaspoons peanut, vegetable, or canola oil
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 2 medium cloves)
  • 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger (about one 1-inch piece) I like to use a fine grater.  If you do not have fresh ginger, use 1/2 tsp ginger powder
  • 2 teaspoons minced scallion bottoms (about 1 scallion), plus 6 to 8 scallions, white parts only, cut into 1-inch lengths  (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon of garlic chili paste (or use Sriracha)
Instructions
Prep the  Cauliflower recipe
The Sauce (in a sauce pan):
  1. Combine soy sauce, wine, vinegar, vegetable stock, sugar, sesame seed oil, and cornstarch in a small bowl and stir with a fork or small whisk until cornstarch is dissolved and no lumps remain.
  2. Combine oil, garlic, ginger, minced scallions, and chili paste in a small sauce pan and place over medium heat.
  3. Cook for 3-5 minutes.
  4. Add liquid ingredients from bowl and bring to a boil.
  5. Simmer and then let cool.
The Stir Fry
  1. Stir Fry the frozen veggies, pineapple, mushrooms, long scallions, and cashews in a small amount of peanut oil or veggie broth, until tender.  I start with the harder veggies (carrots) first then add the others as they soften up.  Finish up with the softest stuff such as the mushrooms.  Cook until the mushrooms are soft.
  2. Stir in sauce
  3. Add Cauliflower and  stir to coat evenly

Serve over white rice.