CAULIFLOWER STEAKS, SICHAUN-STYLE

This dish is called Kung Pao in the book, which Meera notes is 'remixed' in a western style from a dish called Gong Bao. I have adapted it to use the cauliflower as steaks, making more of a 'main' of it, I’ve also used the thick veins of the leaves here to reduce waste – see below for how to use the leaves.

Serve 2 as a main or 4 on the side

1 large cauliflower head, leaves intact
1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns (didn't have any so used black)
Plain oil to fry
2tsp cornflour
4 tbsp light soy sauce
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
3 tbs hoisin sauce
4 spring onions, very finely chopped, whites and greens separated
4 cloves garlic, sliced paper thin (I used 2)
4 birds eye chillies, slit lengthways (I used what I had: 1 green chilli)
2cm ginger, peeled and sliced into matchsticks
50g unsalted peanuts

Preheat the oven to 200. Trim the cauliflower, reserving the leaves. Cut two 1.5cm steaks vertically from the middle so that they look like flat trees. Break the rest into florets. Place in a large baking tray so they don’t overlap (you may need two). Strip the leaves off the central veins, and set aside, adding the veins to the tray.

Grind the peppercorns with a mortar and pestle, add 2 tbs of oil and rub over the cauliflower, turning to coat. Place in oven and roast for 20 minutes, turning halfway through. You can do this in advance.

Meanwhile, make the sauce. Add the cornflour to a bowl and whisk in the soy sauce, vinegar and hoisin. Have the other ingredients prepped and ready.

When the cauliflower is tender and golden in places, add 2 tbs oil into a large non-stick frying pan. When smoking hot, add the cauliflower, spring onion whites, garlic, chillies and ginger. Cook for 3 or 4 minutes, stirring occasionally to help char. Add the sauce and cook for another 2 or 3 minutes – if it thickens too much, add a splash of water. Stir occasionally until dark, thick and glossy. Toss through the peanuts and tip into a serving plate, sprinkling over the spring onion greens to serve.

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