ASIAN CAULIFLOWER FRIED "RICE" FROM 'NOM NOM PALEO'
[Photograph: Henry Fong] What did a rice-lover like Michelle Tam of Nom Nom Paleo do to satisfy the craving once she switched to a Paleo (a.k.a. rice-free) diet? Started making rice from cauliflower, of course. Okay, perhaps cauliflower "rice" is not an obvious choice to anyone unfamiliar with the Paleo diet, but the bright white vegetable makes for a texturally similar dish to rice once spun around in a food processor for a few minutes. The flavor won't fool anyone, but cauliflower "rice" does indeed work as a substitute in many rice-based dishes. Take, for example, Tam's fried "rice" in her new cookbook. Steamed and tossed with vegetables, bacon, eggs, and a Paleo-friendly blend of fish sauce, coconut aminos, and vinegar, the cauliflower soaks up the salty sauce and meshes with the vegetables in a way that rice rarely does. Why I picked this recipe: I had never considered making cauliflower "rice" before opening this book. Adding the flavors of fried rice seemed like a good way to introduce this Paleo staple. What worked: I was surprised to find out that I actually really liked this dish. While the final dish had a texture more like couscous than fried rice, the flavors were totally balanced and ultimately very satisfying. What didn't: Be sure to stop processing the cauliflower before it reaches couscous size. Think long-grain rice. You may also need to process in it in batches if you don't have a mammoth food processor. Suggested tweaks: I cooked the eggs in a separate nonstick skillet, knowing that my large stainless skillet would be no match for the sticking power of scrambled eggs (no matter how much bacon grease I used). If you're not following a strict Paleo diet, you could use soy sauce and rice vinegar in place of the coconut aminos and coconut vinegar. Paleo-friendly fish sauce is any brand that contains only anchovies and salt (Red Boat is Tam's choice). About the author: Kate Williams is a freelance writer and personal chef living in Berkeley, CA. She is a contributor to The Oxford American, KQED's Bay Area Bites, and Berkeleyside NOSH. She blogs at Cooking Wolves. Follow her @KateHWiliams.
Provided by @MakeItYours
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- 1 Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once it crisps up, about 15 minutes, transfer the crunchy bacon to a paper towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon.
- While you're crisping the bacon, toss the cauliflower into a food processor, and pulse until it's the size of rice grains. Pro tip: don't overdo it. We don't want liquid cauliflower.
- In a small bowl, whisk the eggs together with salt and pepper to taste. Pour the eggs into the hot bacon drippings, and fry up a thin egg omelet. Remove the omelet from the pan, slice it into ribbons, and set aside.
- Melt the ghee in the skillet over medium-high heat, and add the onions along with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Once the onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes, throw in the sliced mushrooms. When the mushrooms are browned, add the grated ginger and stir for 30 seconds to incorporate.
- Add the cauliflower "rice," season with a bit more salt and pepper, and mix the ingredients together. Place a lid on the skillet, turn the heat down to low, and cook for about 5 minutes with the skillet covered. The "rice" is ready when it's tender but not mushy.
- Season with the coconut aminos, coconut vinegar, and fish sauce. Before serving, mix in the scallions, cilantro, omelet slices, and the reserved crispy bacon.
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