Bang Bang Cauliflower

Have you have ever been to Bonefish Grill and had their Bang Bang Shrimp? It's this wonderful appetizer of crispy fried shrimp smothered in a creamy, spicy sauce. It's highly addictive (and, unfortunately, highly fattening as well). The flavors you get, though, are so craveable, and are actually very easy to reproduce in a more healthful way. Let me introduce you to...Bang Bang Cauliflower.

I came across this recipe on Pinterest and was intrigued. For one, cauliflower? It's not my favorite vegetable but it is one that is easy to manipulate and infuse with flavor. Secondly, this recipe is baked, not fried. Unfortunately, a lot of 'oven fried' recipes don't deliver with their promise of crispiness, so I was a little skeptical. What really got me, though, was the sauce. It uses Siracha, my favorite hot sauce, along with lite mayonnaise. That has to make it a little more healthy, right?

I will admit that breaking up a head of cauliflower is not the easiest (nor most tidy) task, and next time I might just buy a bag of pre-cut florets and break those down a little further. The dredging process does take a little bit of time, but the end result is totally worth it.

The cauliflower wasn't super crispy, but the panko helps give the crunch you are looking for. The sauce is SUPER spicy, so I would recommend cutting back on the Siracha to your taste. We topped our cauliflower with freshly cut green onions from our garden (one of the few veggies to make their appearance this spring), and were in love with this dish. Obviously our son couldn't try it because I forgot to set some florets aside before mixing them with the sauce (oops!), but next time I'll remember to do so because I think he'll enjoy the texture/flavor without the sauce. Serve this up alongside an entree such as Broiled Tilapia with Coconut Curry Sauce, and you've got a wonderful Asian-inspired meal for your dinner table.


Bang Bang Cauliflower

Ingredients

• 2 egg whites
• 1 head cauliflower
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• salt & pepper
• sliced green onion
• 1/4 cup lite mayo
• 1/4 cup Siracha
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Slice your cauliflower florets. Mix salt, pepper, and panko breadcrumbs in a shallow dish. Set  a separate bowl aside with the egg whites.

Dip florets into egg whites, coat with panko mixture, and then place on an ungreased sheet pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until the florets start turning golden brown.

In a small bowl mix all of your sauce ingredients (lite mayo through sugar). Toss the florets with sauce, top with green onion, and serve right away.



Adapted from Around the Table: Loving Food in RI & Beyond......