Tender on the inside and crispy on the outside, this vegan buffalo cauliflower is a mouthwatering addition to your game-day appetizer or dinner table. We use cauliflower florets to mimic the texture of traditional buffalo wings and then toss them in a finger-licking, sweet, spicy buffalo sauce. Whether you use it as a starter or your main course, you will crave more after the first bite!
Cut cauliflower head into smaller florets. Blanche them in boiling water for 5 minutes. Then drain. Do not overcook it.
We used the small chopping bowl of our immersion blender to crush cornflakes to a fine, breadcrumb-like texture.
Prepare wet batter for coating
Mix in a shallow bowl corn flour, rice/all-purpose flour, corn starch, salt and black pepper. Pour in the dairy-free milk and start mixing. It should have a texture of a pancake batter, slow-flowing but not too dense. In time the flour will thicken the batter a bit, so add 1 tsp of water to thin it again.
Bread the cauliflower
Dip the cauliflower florets first in the wet batter. Coat it evenly. I found it is easier to use your fingers to do that instead of using a fork or spatula.
Transfer the coated cauliflower florets gently to the crushed cornflakes. Sprinkle the top and pat it gently. Make sure the crushed cornflakes-based mix sticks to it evenly.
You can place it on a plate or fry it when it is coated. The coating will hold at room temperature for an hour or so without a problem if you need to wait before frying.
Deep-frying
Pour sunflower oil into a skillet or pot. Heat it on medium/high heat. You can test whether it is hot enough by dropping a bit of coating in it. If it sizzles, you are good to go.
Gently drop the breaded “florets” in the oil. The oil is hot so pay attention to drop it gently without a splash. Don’t overcrowd the pan as the oil will cool down, and the cauliflower florets will need a longer time and thus will soak up more oil.
Fry cauliflower florets for 3-4 minutes until the coating gets crispy. When they are ready, transfer them to a paper towel, so the excess oil is absorbed.
Cooking the buffalo sauce
In a large pan add vegan butter. When it's melted and bubbly add Frank's buffalo sauce and maple syrup. Stir constantly until mixed completely.
Add in the fried cauliflower florets and coat them with the sauce evenly.