It’s been over two years since I posted my sticky sesame cauliflower. I loved that recipe so much, and it took off so well that I immediately decided I needed to do more with the whole crispy baked cauliflower coated in sticky sauce concept. I took my time, but finally got around to it! At this point I’ve covered lots of the popular sticky Chinese takeout sauces, usually using them on tofu. Orange sauce: check! Tso’s sauce: check! Black pepper sauce: check! What’s left? Ah, lemon sauce! I used to get a dish with lemon sauce at a favorite Chinese vegetarian restaurant when I lived in the city. That dish involved mock chicken, but mock chicken isn’t really my thing these days. Cauliflower is my jam. I made this one a little differently from my sticky sesame cauliflower. That one I simply batter dipped and baked. And even though I loved it, a lot of people had trouble with the recipe. Sometimes the batter didn’t stay on the pieces, and sometimes it didn’t crisp. Others said it turned out perfectly. I’m not sure why, but I’m guessing there’s some variation in peoples’ oven temperatures. You need the oven to get super hot for it to work. If you made the sticky sesame cauliflower and loved it, feel free to dip and bake the cauliflower following that recipe and just swap out the sauce for this one. If it didn’t work out for you, or if you haven’t tried it and just want something a little more foolproof, then I think this is the recipe for you! The main difference: panko. After dipping the florets I rolled them in panko for an extra crispy coating on the outside. The panko also helps anchor the batter in place, so no big globs in the bottom of the pan! And then there’s the sauce. If you’re a fan of sweet and sour you’ll probably really like this, as it is, in fact, pretty darn sweet and sour. Lemon gives it a big, bright flavor, while ginger supplies a subtle kick.
