Buffalo Cauliflower Florets

Buffalo Cauliflower Florets

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Cook time: 

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Serves: 4

Ingredients
  • 1 medium sized cauliflower, cut into 2 inch florets
  • ½ cup fine corn meal
  • ½ cup corn starch
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¾ cup buttermilk
  • 1 tablespoon hot sauce
  • Neutral Oil for frying
  • 3 scallions, thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro or parsley
Buffalo sauce:
  • ¼ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 1 tablespoon pieces
  • ½ cup hot sauce
  • 2 tablespoons honey
Ranch dressing:
  • ¼ cup yogurt
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon ranch seasoning powder
  • 1 teaspoon chives, sliced thinly
Directions
  1. In a small mixing bowl, combine buttermilk and hot sauce. Transfer cauliflower florets to a large mixing bowl. Pour buttermilk mixture over florets. Stir gently to coat florets with buttermilk. Let florets marinate for ½ to 1 hour.
  2. Meanwhile prepare Buffalo sauce by heating hot sauce and honey in a small sauce pan. Once hot sauce is bubbling, add butter 1 tablespoon at a time and whisk to combine until all butter is added. Cover sauce and set it aside.
  3. In a small mixing bowl combine ingredients of ranch dressing and transfer to serving bowl.
  4. In small mixing bowl, combine corn meal, corn starch, salt and pepper. After cauliflower florets are marinated, drain buttermilk. Sprinkle flour mixture all over florets. Gently stir florets to coat evenly with flour mixture.
  5. Heat oil in a frying pan until hot enough to fry. Shake off excess flour from florets and fry them in batches of 6 to 7 until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain excess oil on paper towel lined plate.
  6. Once all florets are fried and drained, transfer them to a large mixing bowl. Pour Buffalo sauce over florets and stir to coat with sauce. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with scallions and cilantro or parsley. Serve immediately with ranch dressing on side.

 

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Bataka Vada

Bataka Vada

Prep time: 

Cook time: 

Total time: 

Serves: 8

Bataka (potato) Vada (friiters)
Ingredients
  • 3 medium to large russet or Idaho potatoes
  • 2 jalapeno or serrano chilies, finely minced
  • 1 inch piece of ginger, finely minced
  • 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder (optional)
  • ¼ teaspoon garam masala
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ⅛ teaspoon asafetida
  • 2 teaspoons salt or to taste
  • 3 teaspoons sugar or to taste
  • Juice of 1 lemon
Batter:
  • 1 ½ cups chickpea flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon red chili powder
  • Pinch of asafetida
  • Water as needed
Canola or Vegetable oil for frying
Directions
  1. Combine chickpea flour, spices and salt in a medium sized mixing bowl. Make a batter (slightly thinner than pancake batter) with water. Let it stand for 20 to 30 minutes.
  2. Cut potatoes in half and boil them with skin until fork tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Peel potatoes while they are still warm. Immediately mash potatoes with a ricer or masher in a large mixing bowl. Season mashed potatoes with salt, sugar, lemon juice, dry spices, chilies, ginger and cilantro. Mix everything well. Foam into 24 to 25 golf ball sized balls by hand or with a small ice cream scoop.
  3. In a frying pan, heat oil until ready for frying. Dip potato balls (bataka vada) one by one into batter, covering the entire surface. Let the excess batter drip, drop it in hot oil and fry it until light golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. You can fry 6 to 7 bataka vada at a time depending on the size of frying pan. Serve warm with cilantro chutney or ketchup or tamarind date chutney. Can be served as an appetizer or horsd'oeuvres.

 

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