BHA & BHT Free Crispy Cauliflower Manchurian
Cauliflower Manchurian is one of those dishes that delivers serious restaurant-level drama ā golden, crispy florets tossed in a sticky, glossy sauce with garlic, ginger, and a tangle of scallions and carrot. The batter is built from cassava flour and arrowroot starch, which fry up beautifully without relying on any of the processed additives that sneak into conventional coatings and shelf-stable sauces. Coconut aminos stand in for soy sauce, bringing that savory depth alongside apple cider vinegar and honey for a sauce that's bright, balanced, and completely made from scratch. That matters a lot here, because store-bought stir-fry sauces and pre-made batters are some of the most common hiding spots for synthetic preservatives like BHA and BHT. Every ingredient in this recipe is whole and recognizable, so you know exactly what's going into the pan. The technique is straightforward ā pan-fry in batches, build the sauce in the same skillet, then toss everything together at the end for maximum coating and crunch. Finished with fresh cilantro and those dark scallion greens, it's the kind of vibrant, flavor-packed plate that makes plant-based cooking feel genuinely exciting.
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Learn more āIngredients
4 servings
For the battered cauliflower
- 1 medium head cauliflower (about 2 lb), cut into 1 Ā½-inch florets
- ā cup cassava flour
- 3 tbsp arrowroot starch
- Ā½ tsp fine sea salt
- Ā½ tsp ground turmeric
- Ā½ tsp ground ginger
- ā cup water
- 3 tbsp coconut oil, for frying
For the sauce
- 3 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp arrowroot starch
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 4 scallions, white and light green parts thinly sliced, dark green tops reserved for garnish
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely minced
- 1 medium carrot, cut into thin matchsticks
For serving
- scallion dark green tops, thinly sliced (optional)
- fresh cilantro leaves (optional)
Instructions
- 1
In a small bowl, whisk together the coconut aminos, apple cider vinegar, honey, 1 tsp arrowroot starch, and grated fresh ginger until the starch is fully dissolved. Set aside.
- 2
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cassava flour, 3 tbsp arrowroot starch, salt, turmeric, and ground ginger. Add the water and stir until a thick, smooth batter forms ā it should cling to the back of a spoon without dripping off immediately. Add the cauliflower florets and toss until each piece is evenly coated.
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