Bang Bang Broccoli

Deep-fried, battered broccoli served over rice and drizzled with a sweet-and-spicy bang bang sauce.

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword bang ban broccoli, vegan bang bang broccoli

Diet High Protein, Nut-Free, Soy-Free, Vegan

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 2

Total Time 22

Servings

Calories 669kcal

Author Monica Davis

Equipment

deep fryer - helpful, but not necessary.

Ingredients

Rice or grain

4 cups cooked basmati rice or other cooked grain of choice.

Broccoli

1 head broccoli about 4 cups of florets

For the batter

3/4 cup flour gluten-free flour mixes work great!
2 tablespoon corn starch or potato starch
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt (reduce for lower sodium or if using seasoning with salt in it)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs

For frying the broccoli

3 inches oil for frying

Bang Bang Sauce

1/2 cup vegan mayo
1/4 cup sweet chili sauce
2 tablespoons sriracha
1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
1 teaspoon agave nectar optional - omit for a less sweet sauce

Garnish

1/4 cup green onions
2 tablespoons sesame seeds

US - Metric

Instructions

Cook the rice or grain.
Make the bang bang sauce by combining the mayo, sweet chili sauce, agave, and sriracha in a bowl, then stirring until well combined.
While your grain is cooking, wash the head of broccoli under running water, then shake off the excess water.
Cut the broccoli florets off the head and into bite-sized pieces, removing the large central stem. (Try to keep the pieces a similar size, so they cook at the same rate).

Make the breading

Put the dry ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl. (Flour, corn starch, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, turmeric, baking soda, and baking powder). Then pour in the water and stir the batter until smooth.
Place 3/4 cup of panko bread crumbs in a shallow bowl to coat the battered broccoli.
Put the broccoli florets into the batter and toss until well-coated.

Fry the broccoli

Heat the oil to 334°F. Use tongs to pick up the pieces of coated broccoli and place them in the hot oil. (It will bubble and spatter, so stand back.
Allow the cooking in the oil to continue for 2-3 minutes, until the bubbling slows and the broccoli nuggets are golden brown.
Immediately remove from oil and place on a paper towel-lined plate.
Plate the bang bang broccoli by layering cooked rice on a plate, topping it with hot fried broccoli, then drizzling with bang bang sauce and garnishing with sesame seeds and green onions.

Notes

Fry the broccoli in small batches so that the pieces have enough room to roll around in the oil and they don't get stuck together.
Have your Bang Bang sauce or anything else you want to serve with the broccoli ready before deep-frying; that way, you can eat it while it is fresh and hot.

If you don't have a deep fryer, you can use a saucepan filled with about 3-4 inches of oil. A thermometer that goes up to 400°F (200°C) will also be helpful. You can then use a slotted spoon or tongs to remove the cauliflower from the oil.

Frying temperature: I find 334°F (168°C) to be the perfect temperature for frying broccoli. I don't fry it quite as hot as some other things, like French fries, because I want it to cook slowly enough to cook the broccoli all the way through. However, don't cook it below 325°F (165°C), or it will absorb too much oil and get soggy instead of crispy.

If you don't have a thermometer, you can test your oil's temperature by cooking one piece first. You know you have the right frying temperature if it bubbles vigorously when you first put it in, then the bubbling slows way down after about 2-3 minutes, and you have a crunchy, golden-brown broccoli nugget that is cooked through.

Nutrition