77% less calories, 89% less carbs, astonishingly similar mouthfeel as real fried rice and definitely right up there with flavour. This is one that even Cauliflower Rice cynics will love!
Cauliflower Fried Rice
Yes, it really does taste like real fried rice. Cauliflower rice cynics, I’m talking to YOU! And that includes me. It took me many years before I got on board the cauliflower rice train. And even once I was on board, it took me many months before I was happy enough with cauliflower fried rice to share the recipe with you. Here are the top tips I’ve accumulated for wickedly good cauliflower rice:
cook it like real fried rice. Hard and fast. Keep the cauliflower crisp-tender, don’t let it get mushy and wet! A great sauce is essential. Disguise the cauliflower flavour! The cauliflower has to be rice-size. As opposed to tiny crumbly couscous size. Nobody wants mushy cauliflower-couscous!
What goes in Cauliflower Fried Rice
Cauliflower rice – best to either make your own or buy fresh pre-prepared. Frozen thawed will also work, but is a bit more watery. Drain it well and dry as much as you can, even go as far as squeezing out excess liquid (but note that you will lose volume by doing this and you still need 4 cups). Ham or bacon – goes a long to add a great flavour base! Can be skipped to make it meat free Frozen mixed vegetables – I use frozen for convenience, and because I totally buy into the whole “snap frozen” thing. Feel free to substitute with any diced vegetables, frozen or fresh Mirin or Chinese cooking wine – this is key in this sauce, to give it depth of flavour and complexity, making it extra tasty. Substitute with dry sherry or cooking sake. For a non alcoholic sub, add chicken stock powder (granulated chicken bouillon); Oyster Sauce adds a good back of sweet-savoury flavour. The only appropriate substitute I can think of is Hoisin, though you will get a faint fie spice flavour (very nice though!)
How to make Cauliflower Fried Rice
Here’s how you make it – just like normal fried rice, cooked hard and fast over high heat!
How to serve Cauliflower Fried Rice
Serve this as a tasty low-carb side dish, or as a meal in itself. Cauliflower Fried Rice packs in a serious load of vegetables, and very small amount of carbs. So while I’d never recommend normal fried rice as a meal, Cauliflower Fried Rice IS a healthy, satisfying complete meal in itself! While I usually use plain rice or (when I’m trying to “be good”) plain Cauliflower Rice for saucy stir fries and curries, I like to serve fried rice alongside other Asian and Asian-esque dishes that aren’t saucy. Here are a few ideas.
Dishes to serve with Cauliflower Fried Rice
Char Siu Pork (Chinese BBQ Pork) Chinese Chicken (Char Siu!) Chinese Crispy Pork Belly Sticky Baked Chinese Chicken Wings Chinese Dumplings – Pork (Potstickers) Grilled Marinated Thai Chicken (Gai Yang) Japanese GYOZA (Dumplings) Vietnamese Caramel Pork
Have a browse through all my Asian recipes for more ideas! So tell me, Cauliflower Rice cynics, have I convinced you to give this a go?? 😉 – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
Life of Dozer
New year, new home! Actually, I moved in the week before Christmas. And for almost a whole week, this is all I had in the living area – a work desk, and Dozer’s bed. The two most important pieces of furniture I own! 😂
