Addicting Vegan Cauliflower Wings with Dipping Sauces

• There is something in having a finger food that you can mindlessly eat and enjoy while watching the big fight, Sunday football, or even our favorite season finale. It is something that we need and seek out. So rather than going for chips and dip or salsa, or popcorn, why not try to take it up a notch guilt-free vegan style? These cauliflower wings fit the bill and are by far my most requested recipe to date. Slip off your shoes, get cozy on the sofa and stay awhile! When the cauliflower wings are on offer everyone is your best friend!

Ingredients--

• You can use coconut oil like I did or go with vegetable or peanut oil for frying. You can also bake but they will not come out as crispy

• 1/2 cup cornstarch

• 1/2 cup all-purpose GF flour

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• use a little vegetable broth if you would like that taste or just some Kosher salt

• 1/2 cup cold water (not milk)

• 1/2 cup vodka or omit this if you want

• 1 head cauliflower, cut into 1-inch bite size florets

• 1 medium clove garlic, minced

• chopped celery leaves/green onions/peanuts

• Sauce ingredients are listed below as to which sauce you choose

• Instructions

• 1. Preheat oil to 350°F in a large wok or deep fryer

• 2. Combine the cornstarch, flour, baking powder, and 2 teaspoons kosher salt or vegetable broth in a large bowl and mix

• Add water (not milk even plant based milk because it makes the cauliflower mushy) and vodka and whisk until you get a thin-ish batter. Add more water if the batter seems too thick. It should be like a thin pancake batter consistency that falls in ribbons from your fork and disappears back into the batter without sitting on top first. Just think thin pancake batter.

• 3. Add your raw cauliflower to the batter. Working with one or two at a time, lift one piece and allow the excess batter to drip off back into the batter bowl. Make sure to coat evenly. Carefully lower your battered cauliflower into the hot oil. Repeat with the remaining cauliflower until your wok or fryer is full. Don't crowd it into the pan but let each piece have its individual space. I can fit almost half a head of cauliflower into my wok at one time. Fry the cauliflower using a slotted spatula. Remember to rotate and agitate the pieces as they cook until they are evenly golden brown and crisp all over. This should take a little over 5 minutes so you have to keep a watchful eye on them. Transfer the crispy cauliflower to a paper towel-lined plate and season immediately with Kosher salt if you need it. I left this out but I don't eat much salt. I would think most people would like the taste better if it is salted. Keep the cauliflower warm by covering with a towel, or lid while you fry the remaining cauliflower. Don't worry about the cauliflower sitting. I have found it tastes even better the longer that it sits. I know it is a weird concept but that is how I have found it to be. You would think it would get mushy and gross but it does not. It gets awesome and fabulous. You can coat your cauliflower with the sauces below or use the sauces on the side for dipping or both.

• If you would rather bake the cauliflower then preheat oven to 450F and place the coated cauliflower on a lightly greased, non-stick baking sheet or baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the batter hardens, then flip with a spatula and brush with sauce mixture of your choice then bake for another 10 minutes after coating with sauce of your choice. If there is extra sauce please use as a dip for your cauliflower wings.

Dipping and Coating Sauces--

• hot sauce--

• 1 tablespoon oil

• 1/2 cup hot sauce

• 2 tablespoons vegan butter, melted

• Combine hot sauce, garlic, and 1 tablespoon oil from fryer in a large bowl and whisk to combine. serve immediately, sprinkled with celery leaves (if using) and green onions.

• Thai peanut curry sauce--(like in the picture)

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or coconut oil

• 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic

• 2 tablespoons red curry paste

• 1 1/4 cups creamy peanut butter

• 3/4 cup brown sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 1/2 tablespoon Miso paste

• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

• 2 (13.5 ounce) cans coconut milk

• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, and cook until you can smell the aroma of the garlic releasing about a minute or so. Add the curry paste (whichever color curry you like best, my favorites are red and yellow), and stir for another minute or so. Whisk in the peanut butter, brown sugar, chili powder, cayenne pepper, miso, sesame oil, and coconut milk. Bring to a simmer, whisking occasionally, until the sauce has thickened and is smooth. When you take the cauliflower out of the oil and coat with the sauce you can add freshly minced garlic, crushed peanuts and green onions on top as a little flourish of pizzazz and presentation.

Vegan Buffalo Sauce Recipe--

• 2/3 cup hot pepper sauce

• ½ cup cold vegan butteror coconut oil

• 1½ tablespoons white vinegar

• 1 tbsp paprika

• ¼ tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce

• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper

• ⅛ tsp garlic powder

• salt to taste

Instructions

1. Blend the hot sauce, vegan butter or oil, vinegar, vegan worcestershire sauce, paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and salt in a blender or food processor until smooth.

2. Bring to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat while constantly stirring with a whisk.

3. When the mixture just begins to bubble but has not yet reached a full boil remove from heat and set aside and let thicken a few minutes.

4. Use with cauliflower wings as a coating and a dip.

Extra: Garlic Dip

• 1/4 cup vegan cream cheese

• 1/4 cup vegan sour cream

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

• Salt, to taste

You can also use BBQ sauce on these cauliflower wings. I have not included a recipe here as vegan BBQ sauce is readily available at most grocery stores. Most BBQ sauce is vegan. Please read the ingredients and watch out for honey in BBQ sauce.