Cauliflower Tacos
The satisfaction of a hot taco with oozy cheese, crispy battered cauli, tangy avo sauce and sweet sticky toms is 7500% worth it.
Serves: 8-10
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
INGREDIENTS
300g cornflour
1 1/2 cups (375ml) soda water
1 tablespoon ground turmeric
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons ground cardamom
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
rice bran oil, for deep-frying
1 whole cauliflower, cut into small florets
20 mini soft tacos
200g mozzarella, sliced into 20 thin rounds
1 cup (250ml) Spicy Goddess
For the salsa
250g cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon olive oil
For the cabbage salad
3 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 red cabbage, shredded
1 teaspoon sea salt
Optional extras
coriander leaves, lime wedges, sour cream and tequila
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 200C.
Start with the salsa. Combine all the ingredients in a roasting tin lined with baking paper and pop in the oven for 15 minutes. Set aside and allow to cool, then scoop all the deliciousness into a bowl.
In a large bowl, whisk together the cornflour, soda water, turmeric, garlic powder, cardamom and smoked paprika until it forms a smooth slurry.
Pour 1cm of oil into a deep frying pan and heat over medium heat. Test the heat with a drip of batter. When it bubbles, you are ready.
Dunk batches of the cauliflower into the batter, allowing the excess to drip off, then, using tongs, place them in the hot oil. Work in batches so you don't overcrowd the pan.
Fry the cauliflower until golden on each side (about 4 minutes each batch) and place on a wire rack to drain.
This takes a while and gets a little messy with batter drips, but just resign yourself to cleaning it up later. Once it's all cooked, combine the salad ingredients and let that relax for a bit.
To heat the tacos in cheesy batches, place them on a tray in a single layer with a slice of mozzarella. Then put the tray in the oven until the cheese is oozing.
Serve the tacos hot, like pancakes, on constant rotation from oven to mouth, with the cauli, Spicy Goddess, salsa and cabbage salad.
If you want to set it all out, just grate the mozz and zap the tacos. No biggie.
HINTS
These are asked for constantly by my carni-fam (not ride enthusiasts... more carni - the meat).
Over-stuffing a taco is something I do repeatedly, but like all great things, less is more.
The cornflour batter is naturally gluten-free - use corn tacos and the whole spread follows suit.
NUTRITION (per recipe total, serves 8-10 - guide only):
Energy: approximately 20350kJ (4865 calories)
Protein: 90g
Fat: 235g
Saturated fat: 45g
Carbohydrates: 560g
Sugars: 40g
Fibre: 35g
Sodium: 6400mg
Note: frying oil is estimated at absorption only; excludes optional extras.
This nutrition information is a guide only and may vary depending on brands, exact quantities, and ingredient substitutions used.