Remember sticky Chinese spareribs? Why not use cauliflower instead. Sweet, hot and sticky cauliflower roasted in the oven goes great with ginger fried rice in this Purple Carrot inspired recipe. So yum.
INGREDIENTS
1 1/4 cup basmati/jasmine rice
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
2 Tbsp ketchup
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup coconut sugar
2 tsp rice vinegar
2 tsp sriracha
1/4 tsp Chinese five spice powder
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp hemp seeds
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 inch fresh ginger, minced
6-8 cups baby spinach
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Prepare rice according to package directions. Set aside.
2. Toss cauliflower with 1 Tbsp vegetable oil, salt, and pepper and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
3. While cauliflower is roasting, combine ketchup, soy sauce, sugar, rice vinegar, sriracha, and Chinese five-spice powder in a small saucepan. Cook over a medium heat to bring to a simmer. In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with 1 cup cold water, then whisk into the saucepan. Bring sauce to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until it becomes a thick glaze, about 5 to 6 minutes. Set aside.
4. Once the cauliflower is cooked, remove from the oven and coat with 3/4 of the BBQ sauce. Sprinkle with hemp seeds and return to the oven for 5 more minutes.
5. In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and with a little vegetable oil, saute the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the cooked rice, and cook until rice is slightly crisp, approximately 4 minutes. Add spinach and continue to saute until wilted and mixed into the rice, about 3 to 4 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Serve the fried rice and spinach topped with BBQ cauliflower. Drizzle remaining bbq sauce over dish and sprinkle with scallions.