Korean Fried Cauliflower (VIDEO)

A plate of crispy Korean Fried Cauliflower with scallions and sesame seeds.

5 from 20 votes

Korean Fried Cauliflower (VIDEO)

Korean Fried Cauliflower is a play on the ever so popular Korean Fried Chicken! After making this recipe, I don't think I'll make cauliflower any other way. The wet batter creates a shatteringly crispy exterior that coats the meaty cauliflower and it's all generously coated in a sweet, spicy, gochujang sauce.

Prep Time20

Cook Time15

Total Time35

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Korean

Servings:

Author: Chris Joe

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower about 2 pounds, cut to 2" bite sized pieces

Wet Batter

1 cup cornstarch
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon white pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 1/2 cup ice cold soda water you may need to adjust achieve a batter slightly looser than pancake batter
1 quart neutral oil for frying vegetable, peanut, avocado oil

Sauce

½ cup soy sauce low sodium
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons gochujang
½ tablespoon gochugaru
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
¼ cup water

Garnish

1 tsp sesame seeds

Instructions

Cut cauliflower into bite sized florets and set on a tray.
In a large bowl, mix together the cornstarch, flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and soda water until smooth. The consistency should be slightly looser than pancake batter.
Add the cauliflower pieces into the batter. Mix well with your hands until the batter fully coats the cauliflower.
Add the neutral oil to a bottomed pot or dutch oven over medium high heat until the oil reaches 375°F. Working one piece at a time, carefully take the cauliflower pieces and allow the excess batter to drip off before adding to the oil. Fry at 375F for 5-6 minutes until crispy and golden brown, maintaining an oil temperature of at least 350F (fry in smaller batches if the oil temperature is too low). Drain on a wire rack to allow excess oil to drip off and immediately sprinkle the cauliflower with salt.
In a small saucepan, add soy sauce, sugar, honey, gochujang, gochugaru, rice vinegar, and water and mix over medium heat until bubbling and thickened. Brush the sauce onto the fried cauliflower and season with scallions and sesame seeds. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

cauliflower - I recommend avoiding pre-cut cauliflower and cut them yourself into bite-sized pieces that are roughly the same size (for even cooking).
cornstarch, all-purpose flour, baking powder - this is the combination of starches I use for the crispiest batter (like my Baked Chicken Wings). When mixed with the flour, the cornstarch makes the flour coating crispier, while the baking powder reacts with the oil and creates tiny air bubbles, which also helps form a crispy coating.
unflavored/unsweetened soda water - this is a trick I use for Korean Fried Chicken - the carbonation bubbles expand when fried in hot oil, which leaves tiny holes in the batter (allowing for more air) and makes it crunchier!
gochujang and gochugaru - these are a Korean pepper paste and Korean red pepper flakes - both used to make the sauce. They're spicy, so if you are sensitive to heat, I recommend halving the amounts.

Dry cauliflower: After cutting, pat the cauliflower florets dry with a paper towel or clean kitchen towel. Moisture can lead to soggy batter, so it's essential to remove excess water. This is similar to my Roasted Cauliflower recipe - try this method if you don't prefer frying!

Chill the batter: Add ice cubes to the batter to get it extra cold or refrigerate the batter for about 15-30 minutes. This allows the starches to hydrate and the batter to thicken, resulting in a crispier texture.

Frying tips - Heat your oil to around 375°F (190°C). Use a deep-fry thermometer to ensure accuracy. Frying at the right temperature prevents the cauliflower from becoming greasy. Avoid overcrowding the fryer. Fry the cauliflower in batches to maintain the oil's temperature and allow each piece to cook evenly.

Storage and Reheating - Store any leftover Korean Fried Cauliflower in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. The cauliflower will soften as it sits in the refrigerator - this is normal but why I don't recommend making it ahead of time. Reheat until warmed through in the microwave.

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