Chinese cauliflower stir-fry made with tender cauliflower, soy garlic sauce, and cumin powder. Quick, easy and incredibly tasty. Meatless miracle!
About this Chinese Cauliflower Stir Fry Recipe
Vegetables play a big role in Chinese cuisine, whether stir-fried with meat or served on their own. Growing up with such flavourful veggie dishes makes it easy to love eating them.
In this cauliflower recipe, I use pantry staples to make a flavorful soy garlic sauce. The onion adds a hint of sweetness, while a sprinkle of cumin powder brings the taste to the next level.
Healthy eating is sustainable only when the food is delicious. Try this recipe—you’ll be amazed at how simple, budget-friendly vegetables can taste so yummy! 😍
How to Choose the Best Cauliflower
- Weight: Choose a firm, heavy cauliflower that feels solid in your hand and ideally comes with 4–5 fresh leaves.
- Colour: Look for white or pale cream heads with no dark spots or discolouration.
- Shape: Pick one that is neat, round, or slightly flat and has a clean surface free from dirt or pests.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Cauliflower: Cut the cauliflower into small chunks to cook quickly. Once cooked, it becomes tender and breaks apart easily. Avoid stirring too much in step three.
- Onion and Garlic: Chop the onion and garlic into similar sizes so they cook evenly and become lightly browned at the same time. You can use red onion for a sweeter flavour.
- Cumin: If you’re unsure about cumin, try sprinkling a little on a small portion of the cauliflower to taste before adding it to the whole dish. You can skip the cumin powder or replace it with other spices, such as curry powder.
- Oyster Sauce: Oyster sauce enhances the flavour. For a vegan option, use MSG if you don’t mind or substitute it with an equal amount of soy sauce.
- Oil: Cauliflower absorbs oil as it cooks, so extra is added in step three. I use olive oil as a healthier option, but any oil will work.
Instructions
Step One: Make the garlic sauce
- Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat, then add garlic and onion. Cook until lightly browned.
- Add soy sauce and cook for about 5 seconds, letting it bubble in the oil.
Step Two: Cook the cauliflower
- Add water, Oyster sauce and cauliflower to the pan, stirring to combine. Cover with a lid and cook for 3-5 minutes until the cauliflower is tender.
- Stir occasionally to ensure the sauce coats the cauliflower evenly as it cooks.
Step Three: Reduce the sauce and season
- Remove the lid, and stir gently to let the sauce steam off.
- Add 1 tablespoon of oil and cook the cauliflower until it sizzles and turns lightly brown.
- Mix in cumin powder and serve.
Cooking Tips
- Cooking time: Cook the cauliflower until it’s as crunchy or tender as you like, adjusting the time as needed.
- Soy Sauce: Caramelizing the soy sauce in the oil is a key step that brings out the great flavour, so try not to skip it.
- Cumin Powder: Cumin powder can become bitter if overcooked, which is why it’s added at the final step.
- Spice it up: To add some heat, mix in chilli flakes or chilli oil during step three.
That’s it! Enjoy your delicious cauliflower stir-fry! Try it out, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe for more recipes. 😍
Chinese Cauliflower Stir Fry
Chinese cauliflower stir-fry made with cauliflower, garlic sauce, and cumin powder. Quick, easy and incredibly tasty. Meatless miracle!
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Servings 2
Ingredients
- 1/2 head Cauliflower (400-500g)
- 1 tablespoon garlic (chopped)
- 3 tablespoon onion (finely chopped)
- 1 tablspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
- 3 tablespoon oil
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder (more or less to your liking)
Instructions
- Make the garlic sauce: Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan over medium heat, then add garlic and onion. Cook until lightly browned. Add soy sauce and cook for about 5 seconds, letting it bubble in the oil.
- Cook the cauliflower: Add water, oyster sauce and cauliflower to the pan, stirring to combine. Cover with a lid and cook for 3-5 minutes until the cauliflower is tender.Stir occasionally to ensure the sauce coats the cauliflower evenly as it cooks.
- Reduce the sauce and season: Remove the lid, and stir gently to let the sauce steam off. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and cook the cauliflower until it sizzles and turns lightly brown. Mix in cumin powder and serve.
Recipe Notes:
- Cooking time: Cook the cauliflower until it’s as crunchy or tender as you like, adjusting the time as needed.
- Soy Sauce: Caramelizing the soy sauce in the oil is a key step that brings out the great flavour, so try not to skip it.
- Cumin Powder: Cumin powder can turn bitter if overcooked, so it’s added at the final step.
- Spice it up: To add some heat, mix in chilli flakes or chilli oil during step three.
Nutrition Information:
Calories: 233kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 3gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0.1gSodium: 74mgPotassium: 467mgFiber: 3gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 5IUVitamin C: 71mgCalcium: 45mgIron: 1mg
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Tasty and easy to make. I substituted five spice powder for the cumin though