Shuffle off to Buffalo

Sticky, crispy, spicy and sweet...Buffalo cauliflower wings

In the last couple of years, buffalo cauliflower wings, a plant-based spin on buffalo chicken wings, have become a classic.The all american game day snack has become a global game changer.Coming late to the game, I first encountered these @ojardim_srlisboa a few weeks ago.We could not stop ourselves from ordering plate after plate.Even the confirmed meat eaters among us were loving them.Named after Buffalo, New York, its city of origin, this rich, tangy,spicy condiment earned its fame as a sauce for regular chicken wings.Traditionally, its made with a cayenn pepper hot sauce, melted butter and vinegar.In America you can buy commercially prepared buffalo sauce, but for this buffalo cauliflower recipe,I decided to make my own and see if I could match that umami from memory.I stirred in honey, whichh makes the sauce thick and glossy, and I added some gochujang,sriracha,garlic powder, paprika and a dash of Worcestershire sauce which is always good for a bit of savoury complexity.So for those of you on instagram who have been requesting the recipe but only had my development notes to go by, after testing and perfecting this recipe, here it is.

Try one floret erm, wing, and I promise, you’ll be back for more

Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
FOR THE SAUCE

2 tablespoons hot sauce of your choice

1 teaspoon gochujang paste

1/2 -1 tablespoon of Sriracha

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1 tablespoon  lemon juice

1 tablespoon  white wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

To make the sauce, melt the butter and place it in a medium bowl. 

Add the rest of the ingredients, and stir to combine. 

FOR THE BATTER
1/3 cup garam (chickpea) flour, spooned and leveled
1/3 cup rice flour, spooned and leveled

1/4 cup cornflour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon flor de sal
¾ cup water
1 head cauliflower, about 2 pounds, broken into large florets

Whisk all  8 batter ingredients together,add cauliflower and stir to coat

Preheat the oven to 450°F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornflour, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and salt. Add the water and whisk until smooth. 

Add the cauliflower and stir to coat.

Lift the cauliflower florets out of the batter, allowing any excess batter to drip back into the bowl. Arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets and bake for 10 minutes. 

Use a spatula to carefully flip the florets. 

Bake for another 10 minutes, swapping the pans on the oven racks.
Remove the cauliflower from the oven and brush with some of the buffalo sauce. Bake for another 12 to 15 minutes, or until the cauliflower is dark and crisp around the edges.
Remove from the oven and brush with additional buffalo sauce.