Ingredients

Cauliflower
1 small head (up to 2 lbs, or 900 g) cauliflower , cut into 1” (2.5 cm) florets
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons almond milk (or other plant-based milk) (Footnote 1)
1 tablespoon peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
1/2 cup (65 g) cornstarch
Sauce
1/4 cup (60 ml) freshly squeezed mandarin orange juice (*Footnote 2)
1 tablespoon mandarin orange peel , thinly sliced
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon light soy sauce (or soy sauce)
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
Stir fry
1/3 cup (80 ml) peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
3 green onions , sliced
3 cloves garlic , minced
Instructions
Place the cauliflower in a large bowl and sprinkle with the table salt. Gently mix
a few times. Let stand for 15 to 20 minutes to marinate while you prepare the other
ingredients.
In a medium bowl, combine the orange peel, orange juice, vinegar, soy sauce, wine,
sugar, 1 tablespoon of the cornstarch, and fine sea salt for the sauce. Stir until
the cornstarch is dissolved.
Right before cooking, use paper towels to dry off any excess moisture from the
cauliflower. Add the almond milk and vegetable oil to the cauliflower and mix a few
times. Add the 1/2 cup cornstarch and stir gently until all the cauliflower is
coated with a thin layer of starch.
In a large skillet, heat the peanut oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add the
cauliflower pieces, one at a time, without overlapping; you may need to cook in two
batches. Let cook undisturbed until the bottoms turn golden, 2 minutes or so. Flip
over and cook the other sides until golden, reducing the heat to medium or medium-
low if the oil starts to splatter. Transfer the cauliflower to a large plate and
let cool for 2 to 3 minutes to crisp up the crust.
There should be 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil left in the pan; if there is more, wipe
off the excess oil with a few layers of paper towels. Turn the heat to medium and
add the white parts of the scallions and the garlic to the pan, stirring a few
times until fragrant. Stir the sauce again to make sure the cornstarch is
dissolved, then pour it into the pan. Cook and stir until the sauce thickens. Add
the cauliflower back into the pan and stir to coat with the sauce.