Ingredients
- 1 small cauliflower cut into bite-sized florets
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground paprika
- Cooking spray or vegetable oil for baking
- ½ cup melted butter
- 2 tablespoons Gochujang (Korean chilli paste)
- ASIAN SLAW
- 1 baby cucumber
- 1 cup thinly sliced white cabbage
- 1 carrot, cut into thin strips
- 4 red radishes, cut into thin strips
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- Salt to taste
- THE BUNS
- 8 bao buns
- Fried shallots for garnish
- Sesame seeds for garnish
- Coriander leaves (optional)
Author of this recipe
Cauliflower is such a versatile ingredient; it’s been exciting to see it gaining popularity in recent years. It presents really well, and people are cooking with it in exciting ways, like charred steaks and beautiful whole baked cauliflower.
In this dish, these crispy little bits of cauliflower are a satisfying veggie alternative to fried chicken. Bao has been escalating in popularity at pubs and eateries – you’d be surprised at how easy these pillowy lumps of joy are to make at home.
You can look up recipes to make the buns from scratch online, and it’s not too tricky – but these days you can even get them from the supermarket, especially your local Asian grocer. They’ll be in the freezer section. You can grab a packet of these and make this super impressive dish with very little effort.
The gochujang sauce is so easy, you’ll be eating it on everything. The butter mellows out the intensity of the gochujang, bringing out its depth with some decadence. Getting the cauliflower crispy is important for this dish. You really want crunch to contrast the soft bao. The trick is not to crowd the pan – you could also use an airfryer if you’ve got one. These are so versatile, and loads of fun. Enjoy!
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 220°C.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, spices, water and salt to create a batter.
- Dip the cauliflower florets into the batter, ensuring they are evenly coated.
- Place a wire rack on a baking sheet and lightly grease it with cooking spray or vegetable oil. Arrange the battered cauliflower florets on the wire rack.
- Bake the cauliflower in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes.
- Mix melted butter and Gochujang in a small bowl.
- Remove cauliflower from the oven and generously brush with the spicy butter mix. Bake for another 10 minutes until golden and crispy.
- For the slaw, toss the cabbage, carrot and radishes with mayonnaise and sriracha until evenly coated. Thinly slice the baby cucumber and set aside.
- Steam bao buns according to packet instructions.
- Assemble the bao buns with crispy cauliflower pieces, Asian slaw, cucumber slices, and garnish with fresh coriander leaves, fried shallots and sesame seeds.
Tips from the author
These pillowy lumps of joy are easy to make at home to share and enjoy.
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