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OMG, I can’t get enough of these Korean Cauliflower Bites with Sweet & Spicy Chili Sauce! They’re crispy little nuggets tossed in an amazing chili sauce that’s to die for. You gotta try these!
When my son came to visit last month he made these Korean Cauliflower Bites for an appetizer one night. They are so freaking good! The recipe comes from Serious Eats so I can’t take any credit for the recipe. I didn’t tweak a thing. They’re perfect. The sweet & spicy chili sauce has such a great flavor and really isn’t too spicy.
I typically don’t cook fried food but these Korean Cauliflower Bites with Sweet & Spicy Chili Sauce are so much better deep fried. I tried making them lower in calories by cooking them in the air fryer and the oven… while still delicious, they’re just not the same (or as good) as the fried version. I’d recommend throwing caution to the wind and splurge! Or just leave off the batter and toss roasted cauliflower with the amazing sweet & spicy chili sauce.
PrintKorean Cauliflower Bites with Sweet & Spicy Chili Sauce
Ingredients
Vegetable or peanut oil for frying
1 head cauliflower, cut into 1” florets
Salt to sprinkle on cooked cauliflower
For the Batter:
1/2 C. cornstarch
1/2 C. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/3 C. toasted sesame seeds
1/3 C. unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 C. cold water
1/2 C. vodka
For the Sweet & Spicy Chili Sauce:
1/4. C. Gochujang (Korean chili paste)
2 Tbls. soy sauce
1. Tbls. rice vinegar
3 Tbls. dark brown sugar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. grated ginger
1 Tbls. toasted sesame oil
Instructions
In small bowl, whisk to combine Sweet & Spicy chili sauce ingredients. Set aside.
Cut cauliflower into florets, about 1 inch in size. Set aside
Make the Batter: Combine dry batter ingredients in large bowl and whisk to combine. Add water and vodka and whisk to combine. Batter should have consistency of thin paint that falls off whisk in ribbons and disappear as they hit the surface of the batter. Add additional water if necessary.
Heat oil to 350° in large wok or pot. I used a cast iron skillet but you could use a deep fryer too!
Add cauliflower to batter and coat. Add cauliflower pieces, one at a time, to hot oil (allow excess batter to drip off). Don’t overcrowd pan. Will need to cook in a couple batches. Rotate and agitate pieces until crisp and golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels, sprinkle. with. salt. Continue cooking until. all. cauliflower is cooked.
In large bowl, toss cauliflower pieces with chili sauce. Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced scallions.
Notes
Gochujang is a Korean chili paste that is not too spicy and a bit sweet. I bought mine on Amazon but I would assume most Asian markets would have it as well.