Kung Pao Cauliflower

Ingredients

• 1 head Cauliflower, cut into small florets
• 3 tbsp Cornstarch
• 3 tbsp Canola oil
• 6 Dried guajillo chiles, snipped into pieces, seeds shaken out
• ½ tsp Sichuan peppercorns, ground
• 4 cloves Garlic, sliced
• 1 tbsp Fresh ginger, minced
• 2 tbsp Low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbsp Chinkiang black vinegar
• 1 tbsp Brown sugar
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• ½ cup Roasted peanuts, roasted, unsalted
• 5 Scallions (green onions), cut into 1-inch lengths
• 1 ½ cups Jasmine rice (dry)

Method

1. Start the rice. Toss the cauliflower with 2 tablespoons of the cornstarch until every floret is dusted.
2. Mix the sauce in a small bowl before you turn the heat on: soy, black vinegar, brown sugar, Shaoxing and the remaining tablespoon of cornstarch. Stir-frying gives you no time to measure later.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in the wok over high until it shimmers. Add the cauliflower in one layer and leave it alone 3 minutes to brown, then toss and cook 4 more until tender at the edges. Tip it onto a plate.
4. Lower the heat to medium. Add the last tablespoon of oil and the dried chiles. Swirl 30 seconds until they darken a shade and smell toasty — go past that and the whole dish turns bitter.
5. Add garlic and ginger, 30 seconds. Stir the sauce again and pour it in; it will thicken almost immediately.
6. Return the cauliflower, add the peanuts and scallions, and toss 30 seconds to coat. Off the heat, stir in the ground peppercorn. Serve at once over rice.

Notes

✨ The restaurant touch

Everything measured into bowls before the burner goes on. Wok cooking has no pauses in it, and that is the only reason home versions come out gray.

🧒 For the kids

Fish the dried chiles out before serving — they are there to flavor the oil, not to be eaten. With them gone this is barely spicy and children eat it for the peanuts.

🥡 Leftovers

Best the day it is made — the cauliflower softens. Keeps 3 days.

Per serving

Computed from USDA FoodData Central values. A planning tool, not medical advice.