Panko Baked Cauliflower Wings

Sometimes I crave deep fried food.. but it is no fun for my stomach and I always feel awful after eating anything like that! So I made it my mission to create healthier versions of naughty food without the tummy ache! These cauliflower wings are crispy and tasty without being deep fried. Cauliflower is an awesomely nutritious cruciferous vegetable and these 'wings' are a great to enjoy with a hearty meal. I like to add some rice or potato wedges and serve them with a garlic, ginger and soy/miso mayo dip! You can even add them in to wraps with vegan mayo and salad!

INGREDIENTS (SERVES 2)

• 1 head of cauliflower broken in to big florets 

• 1/2 cup (roughly) chickpea flour (A.K.A Gram Flour) - keep extra incase you need to make more batter.

• 1 cup (roughly) of Panko breadcrumbs (keep extra incase you need more)

• 1 tbsp Soy Sauce 

• 1 tsp of Garlic Granules

• I tsp of Chinese 5 spice 

• drop of Water 

• A glug of olive/ rapeseed oil

METHOD

Set oven to 200 degrees

1. Make the batter in a bowl by mixing the chickpea flour with the garlic granules and chinese 5 spice. Stir the dry ingredients together. Then add a drop of soy sauce and a small drop of water and stir together to form a batter. It should be half way between thick and runny - kind of gloopy. If it is too thick, add a drop of water (just a teeny weeny bit at a time until the 'gloopyness' is achieved!)

2. Pop the Panko breadcrumbs in a bowl. Prepare an empty plate next to the breadcrumbs. Now, one by one, take the cauliflower pieces from the tin (preferably with a fork and not fingers- this will be messy!) and lower it, first in to the batter, and then in to the breadcrumbs. Once a piece is coated in breadcrumbs place it on the empty plate. Keep going until all pieces are coated. - Depending on the size of your cauliflower pieces, you may run out of batter- just make a second batch if that happens. 

3.  Place your coated cauliflower pieces on a baking tray with a drizzle of oil (or skip the oil and line the tin with baking parchment if you prefer) and pop them in the middle of the oven on a mid- high temperature. (oven temperatures vary so much depending on gas or electric! So aim for 180- 200 degrees)

4. Keep checking in on the cauliflower over the course of 20-30 mins. Turn them a little so they cook evenly. When they look golden and yummy, take them out. 

5. Enjoy your cauliflower wings with a dip of your choice and maybe some chips or home made sweet potato wedges. YUM.