Baked Orange Cauliflower Rice Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 (8.8 oz) bag Carolina® Ready to Heat Jasmine Rice
- 2 cups cauliflower, cut into small florets
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp cayenne powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tbsp orange zest
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sriracha hot sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 2 tsp ginger, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp + 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp white sesame seeds, toasted
- 1/2 tsp black sesame seeds, toasted
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced, divided
Instructions
This unique rice bowl is the perfect early lunch or dinner option for any weekday meal.
Step 1
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Step 2
In a large bowl, toss together cauliflower florets with flour, cayenne powder, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and black pepper. In a small bowl, dip each floret in beaten eggs and then roll in breadcrumbs until well coated. Arrange on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, spacing about 1-inch apart.
Step 3
Bake cauliflower on middle rack for 20 to 25 mins or until cauliflower is golden and slightly crispy. Flip florets and cook for 5 to 8 mins or until completely crispy.
Step 4
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan set over medium heat, combine orange zest, orange juice, sugar, soy sauce, sriracha, sesame oil, vinegar, ginger and garlic. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until sugar is dissolved.
Step 5
In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch and 1/4 cup of orange-soy mixture and make a slurry. Whisk back into sauce. Cook for 3 to 4 mins or until thickened; keep warm.
Step 6
Heat rice according to package directions.
Step 7
In a medium bowl, toss cauliflower with orange sauce until well coated. Divide rice among 2 bowls. Top with orange cauliflower. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.
Recipe Tips
To make this vegetarian recipe completely vegan, swap out each egg for one tablespoon of flax seeds (or 2 ½ teaspoons of ground flaxseed) and three tablespoons of water. You can also use aquafaba in place of the egg.
Alternatively, package recipe components separately in resealable containers for meal prep options or package the bowl as a grab-and-go meal in individual containers. Store refrigerated for 2 to 3 days.
For gluten free recipe substitute flour with oat flour and substitute panko with gluten-free breadcrumbs.
Recipe Video
How to Zest an Orange
What is orange zest and how do you zest an orange? Let’s take a look!
On the outside layer of the skin is where you will find the zest of citrus fruit. Only a small amount of orange zest is needed to really make a difference. The white part of the peel is bitter so you should avoid that while zesting.
Using the fine side of a grater is the most common and effortless way to zest an orange. Some recipes call for a thicker zest. If this is the case, use the thicker side of the grater.
If you have accidentally grated too much, you can also freeze your zested oranges for later. First, spread your zest in a thin layer on a cookie sheet and freeze, then split up the zest and store in a ziplock bag. If you want to store excess zest it can last up to a month in the freezer.
You can also create zest with other citrus fruits. Lemons and limes are welcome substitutes,as you can see in this tasty Arroz con Leche recipe!
Onion Powder vs. Garlic Powder
These powders both have a savory flavor although they are not exactly the same. If your recipe calls for onion powder you could replace it by using half the amount of garlic powder.
Garlic powder has a stronger taste than onion powder so you do not need to use a lot. Onion powder, on the other hand, has a unique flavor containing both sweetness and garlic hints.
Garlic powder comes from the ground and dehydrated garlic cloves , whereas onion bulbs are dried and ground to onion powder. Adding a small amount with both of these options can blend the entire flavor. These products are simple to use and have a long shelf life. Rice Lettuce Wraps with Cajun Blackened Fish recipe includes both garlic and onion powder.
Kitchen Tips
For more kitchen tips and advice on topics such as how to cook white rice or how to cook arroz chaufa, check out our website.
