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Vegetarian, South and Southeast Asian

Manchurian cauliflower with fried rice

Manchurian cauliflower is a vegetarian dish with Indo Chinese roots, crispy fried cauliflower florets coated in a spicy sweet and sour sauce, served alongside vegetable fried rice. It serves 4, takes 50 minutes, has a medium difficulty level, and costs about €1.80 per person. The trick is frying the cauliflower twice, which keeps the florets crunchy even once they're coated in sauce.

Tonight it's Manchurian cauliflower, crispy florets in a spicy sweet and sour sauce, served with fried rice.

Manchurian cauliflower with fried rice
Total time
50 min
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€1.80
Calories per person
620 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Manchurian cauliflower tends to surprise people the first time around, golden crispy florets dropped into a spicy sweet and sour sauce with ginger and chili. The texture plays against the softer fried rice with carrots and peas, which balances out the heat from the sauce. It's a colorful, bold dish that proves cauliflower doesn't have to be bland.

This recipe works well for a weeknight dinner when you have a bit more than the usual time, around 50 minutes, and feel like trying something different. Kids tend to love the crispy, sweet side of it, and you can adjust the chili to their taste. Mon Chou suggests it as a change from the usual fried rice without giving up on flavor.

The ingredients

4 people

Fruits and vegetables

  • Cauliflower 1
  • Garlic 4 cloves
  • Fresh ginger 1 tbsp
  • Green chili 1
  • Scallions 4
  • Carrots 2

Pantry

  • Flouroften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Cornstarchoften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Soy sauceoften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Ketchup 3 tbsp
  • Rice vinegar 1 tbsp
  • Riceoften in the pantry 280 g
  • Oiloften in the pantry 20 cl

Frozen foods

  • Frozen peas 100 g

Allergens Gluten, Soy

The step by step recipe

  1. Cook the rice in salted water, drain it, and spread it on a baking sheet to dry out. 11 min

    Cold, dry rice is what you want for a good fried rice.

  2. Cut the cauliflower into small florets, make a batter with the flour, cornstarch, salt, and a bit of water, and coat the florets. 5 min

    The batter should be as thick as cream so it sticks well.

  3. Fry the florets in hot oil, in small batches, until golden, and drain them. 12 min

    Dip them back in for 1 minute right before serving for extra staying crunch.

  4. In a pan, cook the garlic, ginger, and chili, add the soy sauce, ketchup, vinegar, and a bit of water, let it thicken, then toss the cauliflower in it. 5 min

    Don't add too much water, the sauce should coat, not drown, the florets.

  5. Stir fry the diced carrots and peas in a wok, add the cooled rice, some soy sauce, and the scallions. 8 min

    Get the wok very hot and don't overcrowd it, the rice should fry, not steam.

Our tips to get it right

  • Drain the fried cauliflower well on paper towels before tossing it in the sauce, otherwise the extra oil waters down the sauce and dulls its shine.
  • Make the batter right before you use it, it loses its ability to stick if it sits around too long.
  • Keep the sauce and fried cauliflower separate if you're not eating right away, and only toss them together at the last minute to keep the crunch.

The variations

  • Swap the cauliflower for broccoli or large chunks of white mushrooms, the frying and sauce work just as well with either.
  • For a quicker version, skip the batter and just stir fry raw cauliflower florets in a little oil instead of deep frying them, it cuts down on prep time.
  • For kids who don't like heat, remove the seeds from the green chili or use a bit more soy sauce and less vinegar instead of ketchup.

What to serve it with

  • Green tea or lemon water
  • Spring rolls as a starter
  • A vinegared cucumber salad

Storage

The fried cauliflower and sauce keep for 2 days in the fridge, but store them separately to keep the crunch. The fried rice keeps for 3 days in a sealed container. Reheat everything in a pan or wok, never in the microwave for the cauliflower, or it will turn soft.

Questions about this dish

Can you make Manchurian cauliflower ahead of time?

You can make the sauce and do the first fry of the cauliflower ahead of time. Do the second fry right before serving to keep all the crunch.

Can you replace the cornstarch in the batter?

Yes, you can use the same amount of potato starch instead. The result will be just as crispy.

Does the fried rice freeze well?

Yes, fried rice freezes very well once cooled, in a bag or airtight container. Reheat it in a wok with a splash of oil to bring back its texture.

How do you adjust the recipe for kids who don't like spice?

Remove the seeds from the green chili before chopping it, or leave it out entirely. The sauce keeps its sweet and sour balance without the heat.

How long does it take to make a Manchurian cauliflower with fried rice?

Count 50 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a Manchurian cauliflower with fried rice?

About 620 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a Manchurian cauliflower with fried rice cost?

About €1.80 per serving, or €7.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, soy. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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