Dairy Free Crispy Cauliflower Manchurian
Cauliflower Manchurian is one of those dishes that delivers serious restaurant-level drama ā golden, crispy battered florets tossed in a sticky, tangy-sweet sauce with garlic, ginger, scallions, and carrot matchsticks. The batter here is built from cassava flour and arrowroot starch, which fries up beautifully without a drop of dairy in sight, giving you that satisfying crunch that's usually hard to achieve with plant-based cooking. The sauce comes together from coconut aminos, apple cider vinegar, honey, and fresh ginger, so every bite is layered with bold, complex flavor ā no butter, no cream, no compromise. Cooking the cauliflower in two batches in a hot skillet ensures each floret gets properly golden rather than steaming in a crowd, which is the real secret to keeping that coating crisp when it hits the sauce. Once everything gets tossed together, the arrowroot-thickened glaze clings to every piece in that glossy, takeout-style way that makes it impossible to stop eating. Finish it with fresh cilantro and the reserved scallion greens and you've got a dish that looks as good as it tastes. It works equally well as a bold appetizer or a main event over rice.
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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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