INGREDIENTS
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Buttermilk Dressing
100g sour cream
100g mayonnaise
50g buttermilk
10g lemon juice
5g red wine vinegar
1 shallot, finely diced
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
A few dashes Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp Dijon mustard
5g sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper (8 turns)
A few drops Tabasco
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Cauliflower Marinade
1 cauliflower, broken into small nuggets
150ml dark soy sauce
50ml Chinese rice wine
Large pinch Chinese five-spice
2g garlic powder
2g onion powder
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
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Seasoned Flour
150g cornflour
50g strong flour
8g garlic powder
8g onion powder
3g smoked paprika
2g cayenne pepper
8g fine sea salt
1g ground black pepper
10g baking powder
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Batter
3 egg whites, lightly whisked
20g sesame oil
50g reserved cauliflower marinade
180g seasoned flour
150g chilled sparkling water
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Fried Cauliflower
Marinated cauliflower
Remaining seasoned flour
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To Serve
Toasted mixed sesame seeds (2g)
Method
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Buttermilk Dressing
Whisk all ingredients together until smooth. Chill until ready to serve.
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Cauliflower Marinade
Whisk all ingredients together. Add the cauliflower and marinate for 1 hour. Drain well, reserving some of the marinade for the batter.
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Seasoned Flour
Whisk all ingredients together and pass through a fine sieve.
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Batter
Whisk the egg whites, sesame oil, marinade, and sparkling water together. Gradually whisk into the seasoned flour until the batter reaches a pouring cream consistency.
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Fried Cauliflower
Toss the cauliflower in the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess.
Dip into the batter, then deep-fry at 180°C for 3–4 minutes, until golden, crisp, and cooked through.
Drain on paper towel, then refry briefly for extra crispness.
Transfer to a bowl and drizzle generously with the buttermilk dressing, tossing to coat.
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To Serve
Pile 6–8 pieces of the dressed cauliflower onto a plate and finish with a scattering of toasted sesame seeds.