Kung Pao Cauliflower

Name: Kung Pao Cauliflower
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce; 1 tablespoon soy sauce; 1 tablespoon black vinegar; 1 tablespoon granulated sugar; 1/4 cup vegetable stock or water; 1 teaspoon cornstarch; 3 tablespoons neutral oil, such as grapeseed or canola; 1 head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cut into small 2-inch-long florets; Kosher salt (Diamond Crystal); 1 green or red bell pepper, core, seeds and membrane removed, and cut into 1-inch pieces; 1/2 to 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns, lightly ground in a mortar and pestle, spice grinder or crushed with a rolling pin; 5 to 8 whole dried chiles, such as er jing tiao or chiles de arbol; 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 1 (1-inch) piece of ginger, peeled and finely sliced; 1/3 cup roasted peanuts; 2 scallions, white and green parts, finely sliced; Steamed rice, to serve

By Hetty Lui McKinnon

Published Dec. 24, 2022

Kung Pao Cauliflower — Jenny Huang for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Susie Theodorou; Prop Stylist: Paige Hicks.

Total Time: 25 minutes
Rating: 4(2,172)
Comments: Read comments

While kung pao chicken originated in China’s Sichuan Province, it has become an iconic Chinese American dish. The popular stir-fry typically includes chicken, vegetables and peanuts tossed in a dark, salty, sweet and spicy sauce, but in this vegan take, cauliflower steps in for the chicken. Dark soy sauce is more caramel-flavored and less salty than regular soy sauce, and it adds color and richness to the dish. If you don’t have dark soy, substitute with regular soy sauce or hoisin sauce. Make sure you have a lid for your skillet or wok on hand before you start cooking, as covering the cauliflower allows it to cook quicker and more evenly.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

1tablespoon dark soy sauce
1tablespoon soy sauce
1tablespoon black vinegar
1tablespoon granulated sugar
¼cup vegetable stock or water
1teaspoon cornstarch
3tablespoons neutral oil, such as grapeseed or canola
1head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cut into small 2-inch-long florets
Kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)
1green or red bell pepper, core, seeds and membrane removed, and cut into 1-inch pieces
½ to 1teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns, lightly ground in a mortar and pestle, spice grinder or crushed with a rolling pin
5 to 8whole dried chiles, such as er jing tiao or chiles de arbol
2garlic cloves, finely chopped
1(1-inch) piece of ginger, peeled and finely sliced
⅓cup roasted peanuts
2scallions, white and green parts, finely sliced
Steamed rice, to serve

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
In a small bowl, whisk together the dark soy sauce, soy sauce, black vinegar, sugar, vegetable stock or water, and cornstarch. Set aside.
Step 2
Heat wok or large (12-inch) skillet on medium-high until very hot. Add 2 tablespoons of oil, the cauliflower florets and ½ teaspoon salt, and toss for 1 minute. Cover and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, tossing the cauliflower every 1½ minutes or so, until the cauliflower is crisp-tender and charred in some parts. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Step 3
In the same wok or skillet, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of neutral oil, along with the bell pepper. Toss for 1 minute, then add the Sichuan peppercorns and whole dried chiles, and stir for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the garlic and ginger, and stir for 30 seconds, then add the cauliflower back to the pan. Stir the sauce in the bowl to make sure the cornstarch is well incorporated, then pour it over the cauliflower and toss until the cauliflower is well coated. Toss in the peanuts and scallions, stir to combine, then turn off heat. Serve with rice.

Ratings

4 out of 5

2,172 user ratings

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Comments

Hania3 years ago

I admire your valiant efforts to substitute for Szechuan peppercorns, and I am sure the resulting dishes were delicious. Please be aware, however, that there really is no good substitute for Szechuan peppercorns. The reason doesn’t have to do with flavor, but rather with sensation — Szechuan peppercorns numb your mouth as you eat them, not with pepper heat, but with a numbing sensation (on the touch, rather than taste, receptors). The result is difficult to describe… but very worth trying!

Monika3 years ago

This was excellent! I've been wanting to buy Sichuan peppercorns but skipped buying a 1-lb bag the other day (only size available) so I after looking up potential substitutes subbed a 50-50 mix of black pepper and coriander with a generous helping of grated lemon peel. Also added a dash of Trader Joe's umami seasoning (which I've otherwise found few uses for) because my substitute apparently lacks the umami flavor in the original. A rather simple and really delicious dinner I'll cook again!

gigi3 years ago

another source for szechuan/sichuan peppercorns is penzey's.

Jamie1 month ago

Compared to several other NYTimes Kung Pao recipes (tofu, shrimp, chicken, etc), this one needs 3-4x more sauce for the two pounds of cauliflower called for. Cooked as is, this recipe yields a dish that lacks the flavors, colors, and delightful mouth feel of Kung Pao anything, it's more stir-fried veggies with a mere hint of anything else going on.

mcusso1 month ago

Absolutely perfect. Would not change a thing. Great recipe, comes together quickly.

S2 months ago

I made this as written, but I scaled it up. In addition to the cauliflower and bell pepper, I added a package of X firm tofu (cubed, tossed in cornstarch, airfried). To accommodate this I made 2.5 times the sauce and used 10 dry red chillies (as long as you don't break them, they add barely perceptible heat) and a little more ginger/garlic. I stayed with 1/4 tsp Szechuan peppercorn because that's the amount we like. This is really delicious.

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