DRY-POT CAULIFLOWER

• doses: SERVES 4

Ingredientes

THE SAUCE

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon vegetarian oyster sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine

THE STIR-FRY

1 pound (450 grams) caulilini or cauliflower

Kosher salt

1 medium yellow onion, cut crosswise into 1-inch-thick slices

3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

1 (2-inch) piece (15 grams) fresh ginger, sliced

6 or 7 dried red chiles, snipped into 1-inch sections and seeds shaken out

3 scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces, white and green parts kept separate

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 1 tablespoon Sichuan chili bean paste

1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fermented black beans

½ cup (50 grams) 1-inch pieces fresh red chiles or red bell pepper

Instruções

MAKE THE SAUCE: In a small bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients until smooth and blended. Set aside.

MAKE THE STIR FRY: Trim the cauliflower stalks, reserving 2 inches of stem, and cut lengthwise into thin bite-size florets.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch the cauliflower florets for about 2 minutes, until cooked but still crisp. Drain in a colander and shake dry.

Heat a wok over high heat until a bead of water evaporates within 1 to 2 seconds of contact. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and swirl to coat the sides. Add the onion and stir-fry until still crisp but starting to soften on the edges, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in the wok and add the ginger, dried chiles, and white parts of scallions. Reduce the heat to medium- low and fry the aromatics until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the garlic, chi bean paste, and fermented black beans and stir-fry until the red oil Trom the chili bean paste is released, about 30 seconds.

urn the heat back to high and add the blanched cauliflower and the

fresh chiles. Add the sauce mixture. Stir-fry to incorporate, then

Cover and steam the cauliflower for 30 seconds. Uncover and stir-fry tne Sauce starts to caramelize on the bottom of the wok and the Cauliflower is softened and crisp-tender, about 2 minutes.

Add the onions and the scallion greeens and stir to incorporate. Taste and add salt, if needed. Remove from the heat and serve immediately.

Notas

In China, the most common caulilower isn't the white, densely packed head available in the United States, but a variety with elon- gated pale-green stems and floppy, looser Aorets; it is also called caulilini, fioretto, and sprouting or flowering cauliflower. You can find this variety sold in farmers' markets and Asian grocery stores, but reg- ular white cauliflower also works well; if you prefer a softer texture, blanch the florets longer before stir-frying.