I discovered the most amazing little restaurant recently. Driving home from a long day at work, I googled some options for a healthy takeaway pick up en route home. If I'm looking for fast-food that's healthy, I tend to choose Thai takeout, noodles or sushi. This wonderful little Cambodian restaurant popped up! I've not tasted true Cambodian food since I was backpacking in Southeast Asia many years ago. Fresh spring rolls, delicious noodle stir fries and this wonderful cauli dish - or something close to it! 

I immediately added cauliflower to this week's shopping list. If you're struggling to include more veg in your diet, or if your other half simply does not enjoy plant-based meals, I'd highly recommend giving this a try! Crispy, sweet and full of flavour, it's also easy to make at adds another vegetable to your dinner plate. 

INGREDIENTS

1 head of cauliflower

1 tbsp coconut oil (for greasing the baking tray)

FOR THE BATTER

100g flour (I used gluten free)

80g breadcrumbs (you can buy gluten free - I used toasted gf bread)

150ml plant-based milk (I used oat) 

FOR THE SAUCE

7 tbsp tamari (gf soy sauce) 

5 tbsp maple syrup or coconut sugar

1 tsp grated ginger

100ml water

2 tsp cornflour

1 tbsp sesame seeds

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 230C

Chop the cauliflower into small florets

Add the flour, breadcrumbs, milk and salt to a blender and pulse to combine. Pour the batter into a bowl

Dip each cauli floret into the batter and coat well. Then place on a greased baking sheet

Oven bake for 20-25 minutes until the cauliflower turns golden and crispy

Meanwhile, add the tamari, maple syrup, ginger and water to a pan and place on a low heat

Stir the corn flour into 1 tbsp of water until it's well combined, then pour that into the pan and keep stirring the mixture as it thickens. Pour 3/4 of the sauce into a bowl. You'll use this to coat the cauliflower, the rest we'll save for dipping. If the sauce isn't thick enough, repeat the corn flour thickener separately and stir it in

Remove the cauliflower from the oven and use a fork to dip each floret into the sauce, placing it back on the baking tray once coated. Then sprinkle with sesame seeds

Return to the oven for 3-5 minutes

Serve hot with chopsticks and dipping sauce