Sichuan Recipe

Dry Pot Cauliflower

Cauliflower stir-fried with doubanjiang, dried chiles, garlic, ginger, and Sichuan peppercorn.

Recipe at a glance

Serves / makesServes 2–3
Time30 minutes
Cuisine or formatSichuan
UseHome cooking and menu literacy

Ingredients

  • 1 medium cauliflower, florets
  • 2 tbsp neutral oil
  • 1 tbsp doubanjiang
  • 6 dried chiles
  • 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp minced ginger
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 2 scallions

Method

  1. Blanch cauliflower briefly and drain well.
  2. Heat oil and fry chiles and Sichuan peppercorns until fragrant.
  3. Add doubanjiang, garlic, and ginger.
  4. Add cauliflower and stir-fry until edges brown.
  5. Season with soy sauce and sugar.
  6. Finish with scallions.

Menu-literacy notes

  • Dry pot means concentrated flavor with little free liquid.
  • Vegetable dry pot may still contain pork in restaurants.
  • Cauliflower is used because it holds sauce and browns well.

Variations and substitutions

  • Adjust salt, sugar, chile, and vinegar gradually rather than changing all seasonings at once.
  • For allergies or religious dietary needs, check sauces, wrappers, broth, cooking wine, and shared equipment.
  • When adapting the dish, preserve the core technique and flavor structure that make it recognizable on a menu.

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