How to Make Spicy Orange Cauliflower Bites 辣橙花椰菜

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These Spicy Orange Cauliflower Bites, 辣橙花椰菜 (Là chéng huā yē cài) recipe is a scrumptious vegan adaption of the popular orange chicken (橙花鸡, Chéng huā jī).

It has a sticky sauce with a tangy citrus flavor that is perfect with a bowl of rice or as an appetizer. Not only is this recipe easy, but it is also easily made with gluten-free and oil-free options as well.

Cauliflower has gained its popularity in the last few years as it’s a versatile ingredient. It is certainly an amazing vegetable that you can turn into so many amazing dishes not to mention its high nutritional benefit. It’s true that it’s quite bland by itself which is exactly why it’s a wonderful ingredient to turn into sauces or crisp them up into a snack food like this recipe.

Personally, I love adding citrus in savory foods as it adds a wonderful tang without the need for much sodium. This is probably why I love the sweet and sour sauce so much. This Orange Cauliflower Bite is one of my many vegan adaptions, which in this case is Orange Chick’n. So, let’s see how to make this simple recipe with the steps below.

How to make Spicy Orange Cauliflower Bites

These bites are really easy to make and can be deep-fried, baked, or air-fried.

First, make the batter which I used all-purpose flour for and seasoned it with salt and pepper. Gluten-free all-purpose flour is a great option for this batter. Then, add enough water to make it into a somewhat thick batter. The consistency is similar to pancake mix.

The good thing about this batter is that you can add more flour if it’s too runny even after you add in the cauliflower florets. This happens when there is still water trapped in between the florets.

Preheat your air-fryer (I used the fries setting). Dredge the cauliflower florets in the batter and shake off excess. Place them in the air-fryer and ‘fry’ until golden brown with a shake in between. Remove and set aside.

Heat up a non-stick pan and add in the freshly squeezed orange juice along with other seasoning.

Bring the mixture to a rolling boil.

Once the sugar has melted, stir in cornstarch slurry. Add the cauliflower florets and toss to combine. Serve warm.

Spicy Orange Cauliflower Bites Cooking Tips

• Batter consistency? – It should be as thick as a pancake mixture once water is added. But rest assured, if it starts to turn runny, just add more flour to the mix to thicken it. The batter should be thick enough to coat the floret without many drippings.
• Gluten-free options – Replace all-purpose flour with gluten-free flour and add enough water to turn it into a thick batter. Use gluten-free sauces where necessary in this recipe.
• Other cooking options – These can be deep-fried or baked. To bake them:
  • Preheat oven to 450°F [230°C]. Dredge cauliflower florets in the batter, shake off excess, and place them on a lined baking sheet.⁣⁣
  • Brush or spray each floret with oil and bake until golden brown for about 20 mins, flipping halfway. (You can also turn the broiler to low & broil for about 3 mins to get the roasted look at the top)⁣⁣

• Citrus – Sweet navel oranges work really great for me but other oranges would be a great option. Some are more tart, so please adjust the sugar accordingly.

Check out my other delicious Cauliflower recipes:

• Vegan Chili ‘Crab’
• Black Pepper ‘Crab’

These Spicy Orange Cauliflower Bites are

• Tangy and Sweet
• Flavorful
• Easily customizable
• Perfect as a dish or appetizer
• Vegan
• A great Allium Free dish (replace spring onion with cilantro for garnish)

If you try this recipe, I would love to hear your feedback and see your beautiful re-creation. Leave me a comment, rate it, and tag @woon.heng and #woonheng to your photos on Instagram or Facebook. Happy cooking, friends!

Spicy Orange Cauliflower Bites – 辣橙花椰菜

If you need a quick and delicious dish, you won't want to miss these spicy Orange Cauliflower Bites. The sauce is sweet and sticky with a slight tang that is really appetizing. It can be made oil-free and gluten-free too.

5 from 7 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Main Course, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine Asian, Chinese

Servings 2

Equipment

• Air-Fryer

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 small head of cauliflower washed and cut into florets⁣⁣
• cilantro stems or chopped green onions for garnish⁣⁣
• oil for cooking⁣⁣

Batter

• ¾ cup [94g] all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour
• ¾ cup [175ml]⁣⁣ cup water or plant milk
• ½ teaspoon salt⁣⁣
• a few shakes of white pepper⁣⁣

Sauce

• ¾ cup freshly squeeze orange juice from 2 oranges
• 1½ tablespoons [22ml]⁣⁣ soy sauce or tamari
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar⁣⁣
• 1 tablespoon red chili flakes or chili of choice
• 1½ tablespoons maple syrup⁣ or 1 tablespoon sugar adjust depending on the sweetness of your orange⁣⁣
• cornstarch slurry mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch in 2 tablespoons water⁣⁣

Instructions

 

• Pat cauliflower florets dry with a paper towel or let them air dry in a colander.⁣⁣
• Whisk together batter ingredients in a bowl until well combined. The batter should be thick enough to coat the florets⁣⁣.
• Preheat the air fryer to 390°F [220°C]. Dredge cauliflower florets in the batter, shake off excess and place them on the air fryer rack.
• Air 'fry' until golden brown, about 8 – 10 minutes with a shake in between, if needed. See notes to bake these in the oven.
• In a heated non-stick pan, slowly pour in the orange juice along with the sauce ingredients, except cornstarch slurry.
• Bring the mixture to a rolling boil and stir until the sugar has melted, then stir in the cornstarch slurry.
• Add in the cauliflower florets, and quickly toss everything together until well-combined.
• Serve immediately with a sprinkle of chopped cilantro or scallions and toasted sesame seeds.

Video

Notes

To bake the cauliflower bites:

• Preheat oven to 450°F [230°C]. Dredge cauliflower florets in the batter, shake off excess and place them on a lined baking sheet.⁣⁣
• Brush or spray each floret with oil and bake until golden brown for about 20 mins, flipping halfway. (You can also turn the broiler to low & broil for about 3 mins to get the roasted look at the top)⁣⁣

Keyword cauliflower, comfortfood

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