A delicious sauce is the key to happiness on a vegan diet. It can make the difference between a so-so dinner, and a roll-your-eyes-into-the-back-of-your-head-good dinner. This flavor packed sauce is light and delicious, but so bright in flavor!
The cooking technique in this recipe, braising, is usually used to prepare meat, but can be used with equally delicious results with vegetables. It is a combination of searing in the pan first combined with slowly cooking in a braising liquid in the same pan. The flavor from the initial sear will help to flavor the sauce and the slow cooking method over low heat with a cover gives a nice tender texture the vegetables.
Serve this dish with steamed rice or quinoa, with green onions and chiles as garnish.
- 1 head cauliflower
- 4 cups oyster mushrooms, separated
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil
- ¼ cup water
- ½ cup rice vinegar
- ¼ cup tamari
- 2 teaspoons coconut sugar
- 5 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed and chopped
- 4 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pinch chili flakes
- 3 teaspoons arrowroot powder, potato starch or cornstarch
- 2 green onions, sliced
- Stem the cauliflower and remove the outer leaves. Cut the head into 8 segments.
- Heat the coconut oil in a heavy bottomed wide pan. Place the cauliflower cut side down in the pan. Cook the cauliflower pieces without moving them for 3-4 minutes until well browned on one side. Remove from the pan and continue searing the rest of the cauliflower on one side until it's all cooked.
- Add the oyster mushrooms to the pan and sear until browned as well.
- Return all the cauliflower to the pan with the uncooked side facing down. Add the water, rice wine vinegar, tamari, coconut sugar, garlic, bay leaves, black pepper, and chili flakes. Cover and allow to simmer for 5 minutes.
- Uncover and turn up the heat to medium. Allow to cook uncovered another 5 minutes until the sauce is reduced by half. Sift in the arrowroot powder into the pan and stir. allow to cook for 2-3 more minutes to allow the sauce to thicken.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Garnish with sliced green onion and more chiles if desired.
- Serve with rice and chopped chiles.
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