Sesame Cauliflower

You are going to start with that fried cauliflower, courtesy of your very own air fryer.  If you do not own one, the traditional frying in a sauce pot of oil works just fine.  The difference is that you will need to make sure the oil is very hot so that browning can commence early.  You want this to happen to ensure that a bit of a bite remains in the cauliflower.

Sesame Cauliflower, Fried Vegetable Brown Rice,
& Steamed Broccoli

Next...

Sauce Ingredients & Preparation
1 T Tomato Paste (or 3 T Pasta Sauce)
1 pinch Smoked Paprika
2-3 T Brown Sugar
2 T Soy Sauce
2 T White Vinegar
2 t Corn Starch
1/4 c Water
1/4 t Sesame Seeds

Mix the corn starch and water to make slurry.  Then add all of the ingredients into a sauce pot, and bring the heat up to medium-high, stirring with a whisk.

You want the sauce to be thick enough to hold to the cauliflower but not like a syrup or glue.  If you need to thin it with a little water, do so at 1 T at a time.  Remove sauce from heat.  Let it stand for 5 minutes.  Toss your fried cauliflower into the sauce.  Plate and Serve with Sesame Seeds on top.  

Arkansas Pepper Sauce

I inherited this recipe from my mother.  Modify as you wish.  I do!

My parents were from Arkansas, raised on farms, thus a huge fan of living on the land, subtracting the middle man. When they migrated north and settled in Michigan, they brought those traditions with them and they served us well.  My dad hunted, my mom skinned it. We had fruit trees (cherry, pear, and apple) and those whole foods along with the rich and festive gardens were a staple for our large family.

I tender this recipe as Arkansas Pepper Sauce because I received it by request, then embellished it to my flavor (garlic, spices), and thus became a huge fan of canning.  You can do it using any jar, just make it clean and handle with care.

Ingredients
jalepeno, whole or sliced peppers
white vinegar
water
1-2 T minced or sliced garlic
1 t -1 T peppercorns
1-2 T olive oil (any oil will do)
dash of dill weed
dash of Italian herbs (rosemary, basil, oregano)
1/4 to 1 t salt (table or sea salt) to taste
1t to 1 T sugar to taste


Supplies
jars with lids
measuring cup
tablespoon
strainer opt.

Instructions: You may use any jars you like, though mason is preferred.  Just clean with hot soap water, rinse with hot water, and air dry.  Here comes the science.  The amount of brine you create originates from the size of the jar you select and the amount of peppers you elect to can.

Place sliced or whole peppers washed peppers into your selected jar, fill with water, leaving about 1/2 -1 inch space between the water line/peppers and the rim of the jar.  Now take this water and pour into your measuring cup.  This is the minimum amount of liquid to create your brine.  Keep track of this measurement, but discard the water, leaving the peppers inside of the jar.

Measure your vinegar from that measurement of water from earlier.  Pour that vinegar into a small pot.  Add from 1 t to 1 T of sugar, but do not be afraid to taste.  Add salt to taste, then minced garlic.  The rest of your spices and olive oil are placed inside of the jar atop of the peppers.  Bring the pot of vinegar, sugar, salt, and garlic to a boil.

Pour your brine over your peppers, remember not to overfill, keeping mind of the 1/2 - 1 inch space between the liquid/pepper line and the rim of the jar.  If you wind up with more liquid, use the strainer to separate the last of the liquid with the garlic.  Then place the garlic into the jar.  Screw the top on, give it a gentle whirl to mix.  Wipe jar clean and tilt to remove bubbles. 

Set on the counter to cool.  If you are using canning jars, use the seal test to determine ready for use.  You do this by pressing your finger onto the lid.  If sealed it will not pop back.  If not sealed, refrigerate for use.  Store up to one year.

Sweet Sour Cauliflower & Vegetable Fried Rice

Sweet Sour Cauliflower was a hit!  Let's first start with the recipe for the sauce, since I started there! Meanwhile, find a nice cauliflower, preferably one that is on sale, because we know it can be pricey.

Also, FYI, I soak my brown rice for several hours (mostly over night), rinse thoroughly, and this shortens the cooking time.  Cold or room temperature is sufficient for a 'stir fry'.  Use any of your favorite vegetables, pre-steamed, add Vegetarian Oyster Sauce (mushroom), oil, and seasons to your large skillet or Wok.  Fry rice and toss in vegetables. 

Sauce

2 T White Vinegar or Rice Wine 
1 T Brown Sugar
1 T Ketchup
1/4 T lime juice
1 t Soy Sauce
Starch Slurry (2 T Corn Starch, 4 t Water)
Water 
Pinch of Pepper Flakes, Onion Powder


Directions: Combine ingredients over medium heat, add more water to thin.  Keep Warm, cover.

Fried Cauliflower

Preheat a medium sauce pot with canola oil, 1/4 of from the bottom of the pot, but not more than half full.  

Cauliflower, washed, cut into florets and small pieces (not tiny).

In a large mixing bowl, assemble your favorite seasons (season salt, onion powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper, dried parsley, ranch flavor, coarse ground pepper) with 2 T golden flax meal, 1 t baking powder, 1/3 c flour, 2 T corn starch, very hot water (hot water will bloom the flax meal) which will make a med. loose batter, thick enough to coat your cauliflower and stick, but still able to see the cauliflower through batter!

Toss your pieces into the batter coating each piece.  If you have a lot of batter and your cauliflower is swimming in it, remove your coated pieces to another mixing bowl, but first add a few teaspoons of flour to the bottom of the bowl to keep them from sticking and losing their batter. 

Store this excess batter for your next fry within a day or two.

Now, sprinkle gently some flour on top of the cauliflower pieces to help seal that batter and promote a nice crunch.  Make sure your oil is hot.  Have your drain pan available (paper towel and a cookie sheet).  Drop your cauliflower into heat, but do not over stuff which will bring down the temperature and your pieces will be soggy.

The goal is to fry the cauliflower in a flash, to form a hard crispy brown coating.  Fry a few at a time!  Drain on the towels.  Drizzle your sauce over them serve with your fried rice.