Many chefs throughout the US are embracing and putting their own spin on a modern recipe for a whole roasted cauliflower. The dish stands out with its depth of flavor and its marvelous simplicity. Like every trendy dish with many variations, it’s easy for the origins of the recipe to become obscured, which is why it’s important to give credit where it’s due!

The Recipe’s Origins

The whole roasted cauliflower recipe was made popular by celebrity Israeli chef, Eyal Shani. Owning nine restaurants and serving as a judge on the reality cooking show Master Chef, Shani is one of the best-known chefs in the Israeli culinary scene. Shani shares that he wasn’t the original creator of the dish and that he actually learned about it from Shahar Segal, his business partner during a Friday dinner nearly 10 years ago. The recipe was passed down to Segal by his mother. The famous chef later perfected the dish preparation technique and still serves it today in several of his restaurants!

What’s Needed

This humble yet scrumptious dish can be served as the main meal or a delicious side to a more elaborate dinner menu. It requires only a handful of ingredients including:

• A medium-sized cauliflower with thickly packed florets and fresh green leaves
• Sea salt
• Mineral Water
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil

Preparing the Roasted Cauliflower

Preheat the oven to 430 degrees Fahrenheit. In a metal pot ¾ full of mineral water, place the cauliflower. Add around 10 grams of salt per liter of water, cover with the lid, and bring to a boil. Over medium heat, cook for 10-15 minutes. Drain the vegetable, brush it with olive oil, and sprinkle it with salt.

Place it in a baking dish in the center of the oven and bake until the tops turn golden brown. The outside of the cauliflower should be crisp, the inside buttery smooth, and the florets should separate easily using just a spoon.

If you love experimenting in the kitchen and stirfries have a special place in your heart, then you simply must try this delicious Chinese garlic sauce. The healthy homemade brown stirfry is the perfect blend of salty, sweet, and spicy flavors. You can make it vegan-friendly by using vegetable broth instead of beef or chicken broth. Here’s the rundown of everything you’ll need and how to prepare it!

Ingredients

For the Sauce

• ½ cup beef, chicken, or vegetable broth
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• ½ tsp sesame oil
• ¼ tsp smoked paprika
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tsp Chinese rice wine (or dry sherry) – optional
• ½ tsp Szechuan peppercorns – optional

For the Pan

• 4 tsp fresh garlic, minced (about 4 garlic cloves)
• ½ tsp vegetable oil
• 2 tsp fresh ginger, minced

How to Make the Chinese Garlic Stirfry Sauce

Step 1

Grab a medium-sized bowl and add all ingredients for the sauce. Stir them together with a whisk and set them aside.

Step 2

Put a saucepan or skillet over medium heat and heat the vegetable oil. Once it’s heated, add the ginger and garlic and saute them for about 30 to 60 seconds, stirring constantly.

Step 3

Give the sauce another whisk before pouring it into the pan. Bring it to a boil and then let it simmer for a few minutes until it thickens. Stir occasionally.

Step 4

Use your Chinese stirfry sauce immediately as a dip or dressing, or let it cool completely and pour it into a clean container. You can store the leftovers in the fridge for up to five days. Enjoy!

Notes

Instead of maple syrup, you can use another sweetener of your choice, even plain sugar. As for cornstarch, you can substitute it with potato starch, tapioca flour, arrowroot flour, and other similar ingredients. Feel free to experiment with the stirfry recipe until you find the perfect combination for your taste. You got this!