The BEST Cauliflower Fried Rice Recipe - A Spicy Perspective (2024)

FAQs

How do you take the bitterness out of cauliflower rice? ›

In a large skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the scallions and cauliflower and sauté until heated through, about 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lime juice to help remove any bitterness from the raw cauliflower.

One additional step I like is to press any excess moisture from the rice by transferring the cauliflower rice to a large paper towel or absorbent dish towel and squeeze/press to remove any remaining water. This ensures no excess moisture remains, which can make your dish soggy.

That cauliflower rice might turn into cauliflower mush if you cook it way too long, whether in the microwave or on the stove top.

The key to preventing soggy cauliflower rice is making sure you don't overcook it. Once the 'grains' are hot, you're ready to serve. The best cooking method to avoid any sogginess is to roast the cauliflower grains on a wide, shallow tray. This means there's more evaporation and less water in the cooked grains.

Drop the whole cauliflower head upside-down into cool, salted water. Let it soak for 10 to 15 minutes to remove dirt, residue and bugs. Drain and rinse.

Try roasting cauliflower with olive oil, cumin, and salt & pepper to make cooked cauliflower taste better. Garnish with fresh herbs such as parsley or drizzle with a rich cheese sauce. If not you can also Sauté with garlic and finish with lemon juice for tang.

While everyone's tolerance is different, too much cauliflower can create G.I. distress, like excess gas and bloating. “Make sure to drink enough water to move it through your system,” suggests Lincoln. Cooking it can also dial back digestion woes.

When you fry cauliflower with batter, it also cooks the cauliflower. So if you parboil beforehand, you will end up with mushy cauliflower.

For one, it doesn't absorb liquid like rice does, so riced cauliflower alongside stews and curries will be more watery.

The reason for this is that cauliflower, as well as other cruciferous veggies, such as kale and broccoli, contains raffinose and other oligosaccharides. These are specific types of sugars that remain undigested until bacteria in the gut ferment them, producing gas, and, in turn, causing bloating and gas.

Do you cook cauliflower rice the same as regular rice? ›

Cauliflower rice naturally has water content so it cooks faster and you don't need to add water. You can steam cauliflower in the microwave or oven, or if you want a more crispy rice, you can roast it in the oven or pan fry it!

On the flip side, eating low glycaemic foods – including cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower rice - can curb blood sugar spikes, help control weight and lower the risk of diabetes. Riced cauliflower is an excellent low-carb, low-calorie alternative to rice.

Cauliflower has several properties that may help with weight loss. First, it is low in calories with only 27 calories per cup (107 g), so you can eat a lot of it without significantly increasing your calorie intake ( 1 ). It can also serve as a low calorie substitute for high calorie foods, such as rice and flour.

Substituting cauliflower rice for white rice is a great way to get more antioxidants while reducing calories and carbohydrates in order to save room for other nutrient dense foods.

However, lettuce, cucumber, peppers, tomatoes, and other vegetables containing a lot of water will need just around 30 minutes to leave “stomach land” behind. Cruciferous vegetables including kale, cauliflower, broccoli, etc. usually digest in 40 minutes.

Some home cooks find that baking soda improves bitterness.

Sprinkle just a pinch into your food and mix it in well to see if that helps. This is a good trick for if you're cooking and realize that you added too much of a bitter ingredient. Just mix in a pinch of baking soda before the dish is done to fix that!

Over-cooking causes cauliflower to release sulfurous compounds that produce an unpleasant odor and bitter taste. (You'll also lose more phytochemicals.) Check the "doneness" of cauliflower by pricking it with a fork a few minutes before the suggested cooking time is up.

While product is hot, you can taste something a bit sour which is the malic acid, a NATURAL product (look it up, it's also used in cosmetics). **Product tastes best after stirred & cooled a little!** Before opening, use hands to squish around contents before opening to mix up the cauliflower.

Blanching! If you wind up with broccoli that has a bitter flavor, you can reduce or eliminate the taste by immersing your broccoli in boiling water for 1-2 minutes. Immediately remove the broccoli and immerse it in ice water. This process draws out the compounds which some people perceive as bitter.