This Crispy Orange Cauliflower with Coconut Rice has all of the elements you'd ever want in one dish: crunchy, texture-filled, sweet, spicy, savory, and absolutely delicious. The cauliflower is baked in the oven instead of fried, and the sauce comes together super easily, using mostly pantry staples! It's an incredibly flavorful, simple weeknight meal that the whole family will love.
Preheat the oven to 400℉. To make the coconut rice: Heat a saucepan over medium-high heat and add the rice, coconut milk, coconut water, and salt. Stir, then bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for about 30 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork, then stir in the coconut oil. Stir in the shredded coconut.
To make the cauliflower: Place a wire rack on a baking sheet (this helps everything stay crispy) and spray it with olive oil spray.
In one bowl, lightly beat the eggs. In a second bowl, stir together the seasoned breadcrumbs, panko breadcrumbs, and flour. Take each cauliflower floret and dip it in the egg, then dip it in the bread crumb mixture, coating it completely. Place it on the prepared wire rack and repeat with the other florets. Once they are all breaded, spray them with the olive oil spray. This will help the outsides brown! Roast the cauliflower for 25 minutes, or until it's golden and crunchy.
While the cauliflower is roasting, make the sauce. In a saucepan, heat the honey, chili garlic sauce, brown sugar, soy sauce, orange zest, orange juice, and garlic over medium heat. Whisk to combine. Cook until the mixture bubbles and let it simmer for a minute or two. Remove it from the heat and let it cool. It will thicken as it cools!
Remove the cauliflower from the oven and drizzle it with the sauce. Sprinkle with scallions and serve over the coconut rice.
Recipe is from Everyday Dinners: Real-Life Recipes to Set Your Family Up for a Week of Success: A Cookbook, by Jessica Merchant of How Sweet Eats.