Cauliflower with Nam Pla Minnow

Ingredients

Nam Pla Minnow

• 2 garlic cloves
  
• 3 bird chili peppers (seeds removed)
  
• 1 tablespoon palm sugar (or regular sugar)
  
• 1/4 cup lime juice (minnow)
  
• 1/8 cup fish sauce (nam pla)
  

Cauliflower

• 1 cauliflower head (cut into florets)
  
• 1 egg, beaten
  
• 1 cup panko
  
• 2 tablespoons grape seed oil
  
• 2 tablespoons flour
  
• 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
  

Directions

1. Drop cauliflower in boiling water for 30 seconds and remove. Drain and let cool.
2. Thinly coat the cauliflower with flour/black pepper, then through the beaten egg and dredge through the panko.
3. Heat the oil in a pan and brown the cauliflower--about 8 minutes (until browned and crispy). Remove and set aside.
4. For the sauce:
5. In a mortar, pound the birds eye chili, garlic and palm sugar, until a paste-like texture.
6. Add fish sauce and lime juice and dissolve the chili, garlic, sugar mixture.
7. Toss the cauliflower with the sauce.
8. Garnish with cilantro.