An Asian twist on cauliflower rice, which is not actually rice, but is a delicious sub if you are going low-carb. Call it whatever you want, I eat this stuff with a shovel.
Somebody asked for my autograph the other day. I was even wearing a hat and sunglasses and they still found me out. HA! I totally had you.
Really though, I had to practice signing my name on an ENTIRE sheet of paper before The Autographing. I’m still giggling that this even happened, it’s so funny to me. I’m a stay at home mom with a glorified hobby, people.
My friend Joy came up to me in church the other day and told me that her sister (Hi Nancy!) had shared a link to The Food Charlatan on Facebook. When Joy saw it, she said, hey, I go to church with Karen! And guess what. NANCY DIDN’T BELIEVE HER.
Like, what am I, a unicorn? Only real if you shut your eyes tight??
I saw Joy a few days later and we took a selfie together so that she could prove to her sister that I’m a Real Boy. I mean Girl.
But she didn’t stop there. Joy showed up at my house with a printout of one of my recipes in a frame, and said she was giving it to Nancy for Christmas, and I should sign it. I’m waiting for the paparazzi to show up any day now. Hide yo kids, hide yo wife. Probably I’m going to be elected president here pretty soon.
Well, at least I’ll have a legend to leave my grandkids. “One time, someone asked me to sign a piece of paper because they liked my food blog.” And they’ll say, “What’s a food blog, Grannie?” and “What’s paper?” and then I will continue baking cookies.
So! Healthy time! Asian Cauliflower Rice time. Does it taste like rice? Of course not. Don’t be silly. It’s cauliflower. BUT, it does make a great substitute for rice if you are low carbing it this month year (<–I totally have faith in you). I did an Asian version to go with this Asian Pork Tenderloin I made a while back, which I will be posting soon.
I tried to keep this recipe as simple as possible, but there are some things you just can’t replicate with the average pantry, and one of those things is Sweet Chili Sauce. I bet you a whole pan of brownies you can find it in the Asian section of your grocery store. It’s worth keeping around, the stuff is delicious and I’ve been obsessed with it lately.
You could pair this Asian Cauliflower Rice with curry, stir fry, pretty much any kind of meat, etc. I’m particularly fond of the pork-cauliflower combo myself. (And since I’m basically famous, ya’ll better trust me ;) Let me know what you try!
Here is the Asian Pork Tenderloin with Ginger Glaze I mentioned. Goes great with this Cauliflower Rice!
More! Healthy! Sides!
- Indian-Spiced Cauliflower Rice
- Asian Marinated Cucumber Salad
- Roasted Curry Cauliflower
- 3 Ways to Make Cauliflower Rice from One Good Thing By Jillee
- Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice by House of Yumm
- Cauliflower Spanish “Rice” from Fork and Beans
Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram
Asian Cauliflower “Rice”
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower
- 2-3 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced, I used the jarred kind
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce, low sodium
- 1 teaspoon powdered ginger, *
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1-3 tablespoons Sweet Chili Sauce, see photo
- 1-2 tablespoons lime juice, half a lime
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped, or to taste
Instructions
- Chop the cauliflower into roughly 1-inch pieces (see photos). Don’t worry about keeping the florets pretty, you are going to pulverize them anyway.
- Add about 1/3 (or even 1/4) of your cauliflower to your food processor. Don’t try to do too much at once; you will get half mush and half chunks. PULSE the cauliflower in 1-second bursts, until it looks about the size of grains of rice. Repeat with the remaining cauliflower.
- In a wide-bottom skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add the sesame oil. Saute the garlic for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Add all of the cauliflower rice. It may seem like a lot, but it will cook down.
- Stir in rice vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, salt, and sweet chili sauce. Continue to cook the cauliflower until it is tender, about 8-12 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in the lime juice and cilantro.
- Garnish with additional lime and cilantro, if you want.
This looks so good!! I’ve made Mexican cauliflower rice befor but I need this in my belly :)
Bahaha that story!! I love the picture of the framed autograph too!! Amazing :)
I’ve been meaning to try cauliflower rice for so long now … this looks so good!
You’re famous!!!! I can totally say I knew you when. And ate your butternut squash soup. And hand pies. ;) I wanted to add a signature to the bottom of my “Thank you for your purchase!” blog emails by scanning in a handwritten one, but… I literally did the same thing. Wrote my name over and over and over again on two full sheets of paper. And even then, I hated all of them! But anyway. This cauliflower rice. May I please have an invitation to come over for dinner the next time you make it?? It looks FAB! Pinned!
1. Love your nail polish.
2. WAIT. WE CAN GET SIGNED RECIPES? WHERE IS THE SHOP? WHERE? ;)
You know what Carla, my autograph is pretty easy to forge, so just print out your favorite recipe of mine, have it framed, and sign away. No one will ever know. People will come into your house and be like NO WAY the Food Charlatan??? :)
Well now I HAVE to try this recipe because it’s the recipe that made me famous by extension of your fame. Joy is too funny. I had no idea you were even local until she said you were in her ward. I was just a fan of your recipes. It really is a small world.
It is a small world Nancy! And look now you’re famous!! :) :) Joy cracks me up.
Karen, you crack me up!! Someone at Target asked me for my autograph and to take a photo with me . . but it was b/c she thought I was Sandra Oh. . nothing to do with the food blog. :) And even after I said I wasn’t her, she still wanted to take a photo with me just because. :P Dude, I LOVE this recipe!! love cauliflower and anything Asian .. totally trying this!!!
Oh my gosh Alice this made me laugh so hard!!! I just looked up Sandra Oh (I’m a celebrity idiot, I can’t remember anyone’s names) and I’m with Target Freak, you totally do look like her. I’d take it, she’s hot. :)
You’re so famous! I love that. You better start watching out for paparazzi! *wink* I love that you added sweet chili sauce to this, one of my favorite asian condiments.
Yess! Another point for sweet chili sauce. Thank Natalie!
Now I really feel special. Because, like, I’ve hugged you. More than once! This “rice” is genius. LOVE.
Probably you are still tingly, right?
1. HOLY MOLY ME OH MY – these photos are gorgeous. I love the slightly moody quality of the shadows and the refined colors of the dish and styling. I even am in love with the shot of you cutting the cauliflower. Seriously – these are awesome. (It’s no wonder you’re famous;)
2. I can’t wait to make this recipe! I’m definitely into using cauliflower in all kinds of creative ways and this one looks simple and delicious.
3. Beautiful thumb.
This looks so incredibly good. And addicting. Seriously need to make this soon!
Karen – I love this idea and printed the recipe off.
We just had Chicken Cauliflower Fried Rice for dinner the other day!!! Thanks for the link love!
That sweet chili sauce is one of my favorites. My husband is half Korean so we eat a ton of rice. I love the idea of replacing it with this cauliflower. It sounds wonderful!
Ohy my GOSH Karen! This post is laugh-out-loud funny! I was just LAUGHING-OUT-LOUD! At home. By myself. I can’t wait to share this post with Joy at work this morning. Sometimes, I don’t even really care about what food you blog I just read your blog so I can laugh and be happy. The delicious food pictures and recipes are a bonus part of this blog – in my humble opinion.
Haha! This day was surely coming! This looks delicious. Just what I need to keep my veggie-loving husband happy. Also I’m glad you’re a celebrity so I can now be more awesome just by knowing you. I’m going to start name-dropping.