If you can't stand the heat . . .
I’m a curious cook. I’m always game to explore new ingredients and techniques in the kitchen. In all my explorations, however, my goal remains the same: to create downright delicious food.
For this reason, I am not a fan of substituting vegetables for carbs or proteins in the service of “healthifying” a classic comfort food if the result is not just as delicious as the original thing. On the other hand, I love experimenting with new and different treatments for vegetables and fruits. Sometimes treating produce like a piece of meat can lead to astounding deliciousness.
These cauliflower bites were inspired by a recipe for Buff Cauliflower Bites that my husband made a few years ago. That recipe instructed us to toss the cauliflower in a mixture of hot sauce and Greek yogurt before baking—a method that softened the cauliflower, making it almost spongy (I wonder if the acid in the yogurt broke the cauliflower down in the oven?) I didn’t care for the spongy texture, but I loved the idea of treating cauliflower like a chicken wing—getting it nice and crispy, and then dousing it with a delicious sauce.
So Korean BBQ Cauliflower Bites were born:
Bite-sized cauliflower florets lightly dredged in spiced breadcrumbs and crisped in the oven, then glazed in sticky gochujang-honey sauce and finished with sesame seeds . . . it doesn’t get much better than this! These bites would make a brilliant party appetizer (although they are definitely just as messy as chicken wings, so provide either a fork or plenty of napkins!) Paired with a bed of rice, they would also make a great weeknight meal.
However you choose to eat them, BEWARE: the sauce is seriously addictive! You may find yourself compelled to eat second and third helpings while you’re in the kitchen “cleaning up.”
Enjoy!
Korean BBQ Cauliflower Bites
Serves 4 (as an entree) or 8 (appetizer)*
For the cauliflower:
1 head cauliflower 2 eggs 1 ½ cup plain panko bread crumbs ¾ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt ¾ teaspoon garlic powder ¼ teaspoon ginger powder For the sauce:
½ cup gochujang ¼ cup soy sauce 6 tablespoons honey 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar 4 garlic cloves, minced 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced 2 teaspoons sesame oil ¼ cup water
To garnish (optional):
Sesame seeds, toasted
Thinly sliced green onion
Method
For the cauliflower:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheet with parchment paper (this is not strictly necessary, but it does help with clean-up!)
Break up the cauliflower head into two-bite-sized florets. Do this by hand as much as possible. You may need to use a knife to cut through the dense center part of the head, but avoid hacking at the cauliflower with the knife. If you're not gentle, the cauliflower will shred into lots of tiny bits and you'll lose half of it before you start.
Whisk eggs in a large bowl. In a wide, shallow dish, combine panko bread crumbs, salt, garlic powder, and ginger powder. When the bread crumb mixture is thoroughly mixed, remove half the mixture to reserve in another bowl.
Dip cauliflower florets into the whisked eggs. Remove from the eggs, shaking off the excess moisture, and roll in the seasoned breadcrumbs. Place on the prepared baking sheet. (Make sure they’re not touching each other!)
Bread all the cauliflower florets this way. When you are out of breadcrumb mixture, wash out and dry the breadcrumb dish, then add the reserved breadcrumb mixture to the clean dish. (This may seem silly, but if you start with all the breadcrumbs in the breading bowl, you will have a soggy mess that will not properly stick to the cauliflower halfway through the breading process.)
Bake the cauliflower for 15-20 minutes, or until tender. Let cool slightly.
For the sauce:
Combine gochujang, soy sauce, honey, rice wine vinegar, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and water in a pot over medium heat. Warm, stirring, for 2 minutes, or until the sauce is a thick, even glaze. To finish:
Transfer the cauliflower florets to a bowl and pour over the sauce. Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onion, if desired. Serve right away.
*This recipe makes a large batch, but not to worry! While it’s true that, once tossed with the sauce, the cauliflower should be eaten in the next few hours, you can also store the breaded baked florets unglazed in the refrigerator for up to three or four days. Keep the sauce in a separate jar and then, when you’re ready to eat, rewarm the florets and add sauce as you like!
Originally posted May 10, 2020.
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