Equipment: Digital kitchen scale (preferred,) Heavy bottom sauce pan or Wok or Dutch oven, Slotted spatula or spider ladle, Cooling rack, Mixing bowls, Measuring cups & spoons, Paper towels, Baking sheet, Unbleached parchment, Whisk, Thermometer (preferred)

Before You Dive In – Prep: please read!

• Heat oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 C); Oil should be about 3 inches deep in the pan; Do not heat to smoking
• Chop cauliflower into 1 inch (2.5 cm) florets, set aside in a large bowl
• Chop garlic or cut celery, if using
• Place folded paper towels over cooling rack and set next to pan with oil
• Set oven temp to Warm, and place a parchment lined baking sheet on the center rack
• Prepare sauce(s) ahead of time

Step 1: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt. Whisk in sesame seeds and coconut if using. Set aside.

Step 2: In a liquid measuring cup, add water and vodka. Slowly pour in vodka and water while whisking – you may not need the entire amount. Check after 3/4 of liquid is used. (You will definitely use the entire amount for the seed/coconut mix). Whisk until the batter is thin enough to disappear into the surface of the batter when it drips from the whisk. You do not want a batter either too thick or too thin; however, it’s best to err on the thin side.

Step 3: The prepared cauliflower should be in a large bowl. Pour batter over cauliflower and use a sturdy spoon to mix until all pieces of cauliflower are well coated.

Step 4: The oil should be preheated to a temp of 350 F/177 C. If you do not have a thermometer, flick a small glob of batter into the oil. If is sizzles and starts to turn brown – the oil is ready. Add battered cauliflower to the hot oil – ONE PIECE AT A TIME. Each piece will sink to the bottom of the pan. If you over crowd the cauliflower, pieces will stick together and make a blobby mess. Let pieces fry at the bottom for one minute. Take a slotted spoon and gently nudge each piece, if they do not pop up by themselves after about 15 seconds. They will pop up without sticking to the bottom. If you try to nudge them too early, the batter will stick to the pan and burn.

Step 5: Fry pieces until they appear golden 3-5 minutes depending on the temp of your oil. Remove pieces with a slotted spoon or spider ladle and drain on paper towels placed over a cooling rack. Each piece should not touch another piece to drain properly. Wait a minute for the temperature of the oil to come back up in the pan before starting another round. As the new batch is frying, transfer the previous drained batch to the warmed oven. Arrange in a single layer. Continue frying until all pieces are cooked and in the oven. Alternatively, leave the pieces draining on the paper towel until finished. Remove the paper towel and place the rack full of fried cauliflower on the baking sheet in the oven until you are ready to toss or dip.

Step 6: Transfer crispy pieces of cauliflower to a large bowl and toss with sauce. Pour onto a platter in a single layer to prevent soggy bits and garnish. Serve immediately.

Crispy cauliflower is best eaten the same day or refrigerated and reheated in the oven (300 F/150 C) for about 10-15 minutes the next day.

Enjoy!