Vegan cauliflower and quinoa lettuce cups

Name: Vegan cauliflower and quinoa lettuce cups
Prep time: 50
Cook time: 20
Total time: 120
Yield: 16
Ingredients: heads raw cauliflower, trimmed and de-stemmed; aquafaba; soy sauce; cooked and cooled quinoa; fresh chopped coriander, divided in half; green onion, sliced thin; panko bread crumbs; salt for cauliflower balls; lemongrass paste; cloves garlic, minced; grated ginger; chili garlic sauce; unsalted peanuts, finely chopped; extra virgin olive oil, for frying; creamy peanut butter; coconut milk; maple syrup; red curry paste; limes; salt; mini gems lettuce leaves; lime wedges; toasted coconut shavings or toasted coconut chips; chopped coriander

KitchenAid Chef

Vegan cauliflower and quinoa lettuce cups

A vegan alternative for your dinner party as an appetizer or main meals. This cauliflower balls are not only filling - but also make you crave for more.

Duration

Total2h

Prep50min

Setting50min

Cooking20min

Tools

StandMixerStandMixer

Ingredients

Serving

2: heads raw cauliflower, trimmed and de-stemmed
3 tbsp: aquafaba
25 g: soy sauce
350 g: cooked and cooled quinoa
35 g: fresh chopped coriander, divided in half
27 g: green onion, sliced thin
370 g: panko bread crumbs
24 g: salt for cauliflower balls
34 g: lemongrass paste
4: cloves garlic, minced
9 g: grated ginger
7 g: chili garlic sauce
72 g: unsalted peanuts, finely chopped
60 g: extra virgin olive oil, for frying
255 g: creamy peanut butter
270 g: coconut milk
36 g: maple syrup
36 g: red curry paste
3: limes
9 g: salt
32: mini gems lettuce leaves
32: lime wedges
2 cups: toasted coconut shavings or toasted coconut chips
to garnish: chopped coriander

Step by step

Make peanut sauce: whisk peanut butter, coconut milk, maple syrup, red curry paste, squeezed limes, and 9g salt together in a bowl. Thin with a little water if needed. Set aside for later.
Make cauliflower balls: trim cauliflower to remove stem, core and leaves. Bring water to boil in large stock pot with lid. Carefully lower in steamer basket containing trimmed cauliflower. Cover pot and steam for 25 minutes. Transfer cauliflower to sheet pan lined with paper towel. Let sit for 5 minutes to release excess moisture.
Attach Flat Beater to Stand Mixer and place cauliflower in mixer bowl, then attach pouring shield. Mash cauliflower starting on speed 2. Slowly increase to speed 6 for 3 to 4 minutes. Leave cauliflower in the mixer bowl.
In a separate bowl, mix aquafaba and soy sauce. Stir until smooth. Add to the cauliflower and mix on speed 3 for 30 seconds.
Cook cauliflower balls: Add half the coriander and all the remaining cauliflower ball ingredients, except the oil for frying. Mix on speed 4 for 1 minute. Remove mixer bowl and place in refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.
Test the flavour and consistency of the cauliflower balls by frying a scoop of the mixture in a little oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. If it flattens out in the pan, add more bread crumbs. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
Working with 1 heaping tablespoon of mixture at a time, form into about 4cm balls. Arrange them on a sheet pan.
Preheat oven to 200°C.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large nonstick sauté pan on medium-high. Work in batches to fry cauliflower balls for 2 minutes on each side, adding oil as needed. Flip gently using tongs and a spatula, since they are soft and may stick to the pan. Balls may slightly flatten while cooking.
Return cauliflower balls to sheet pan. Place in oven and bake for 10 minutes, just until the center is heated through. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes to firm back up.
To serve, place two cauliflower balls in each lettuce cup and top with toasted shaved coconut, remaining coriander and peanut sauce. Garnish with a squeeze of lime.