Crispy Avocado and Date-Glazed Vegetables over Cauliflower Rice
While date syrup may be an unusual ingredient to some of us, it’s a thousand-year-old staple in many other cultures. After living abroad and falling in love with this mineral-packed alternative sweetener, Ryan and Colleen Sundlie of Date Lady were inspired to start making their own. But enough syrup talk — if you have a food processor, feel free to use it to make the cauliflower rice for this delicious dish instead of a grater!
INGREDIENTS
- 12 oz radish
- 18 oz red cabbage
- 2 onions
- 4 tbsp date syrup
- 1 tsp sambal
- 2 heads cauliflower
- 6 tbsp hemp seeds
- 2 limes
- 2 avocados
- 4 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp Sriracha
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp turbinado sugar
- 2 scallions
- 10 tbsp vegetable oil*
- Salt and pepper*
- *Not included
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 425 °F. Rinse the radishes and cabbage. Halve the radishes. Remove the core from the cabbage and discard. Chop the cabbage into 1-inch pieces. Peel and quarter the onions. In a large bowl, add the date syrup, 2 tbsp oil, sambal and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add radishes, cabbage, and onion to bowl and toss. Put the glazed veggies on a baking sheet and cook for 25 minutes, or until tender.
Rinse and core the cauliflower. Grate the florets with the large side of a box grater. Put 2 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the cauliflower and hemp seeds; season with salt and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Reduce heat to low, cover, and continue to cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the cauliflower is cooked through. Add the juice of the limes.
Rinse and halve the avocados. Remove the pits and scoop the flesh out of the skin. Cut each half into 4 slices to make 16 total. Put the cornstarch into a small bowl along with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Add 4 tbsp oil to a large non stick skillet over medium-high heat. Toss the avocado pieces one at a time in the cornstarch, then fry. Cook until lightly browned on all sides, using tongs to carefully turn, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate and season with salt.
In a small bowl, add Sriracha, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, and sugar. Whisk in 2 tbsp oil until the sugar dissolves.
Rinse and slice the scallions. Plate equal portions of cauliflower rice into the center of your bowls and top with the date-glazed veggies and fried avocado. Serve with dressing on top or on the side, and garnish with scallions.