Cauliflower Fried Rice

TED Talks “Math Class Needs a Makeover”:  I always find these TED talks sooooo mind-bendingly interesting.  This one is my new latest favorite.  Dan Meyer speaks to the audience about the backwards way students are presented with problems.  His premise is that the math problems in textbooks are nothing like real life.  No one in real life asks you a series of small questions to get the real answer they want.  No one in real life is going to label your items neatly “A”, “B”, and “C”.  Instead, he proposes that students receive only the basic picture and the last question – what the person really wants to know.  From that information, students need to work to figure out what steps they need to take in order to formulate the final answer.  (It sounds more complicated than it really is.)  Here is the link if you are interested. 

Recipe:  I made this recipe to go with the Steak and Broccoli Stir Fry posted yesterday.  If only cauliflower was as cheap as rice and spaghetti squash as cheap as pasta!  Oh what a wonderful world that would be 🙂  I should just get off my butt and grow my own I guess….

Well, anyway, this recipe was awesome and no one really cared or noticed that cauliflower was substituted for rice.  The soy sauce pretty much covers up all flavor profiles anyway.  Due to running out of soy sauce, I used Trader Joe’s Island Soyaki sauce instead.  The main ingredient is soy sauce, so it does make a great substitute if you have that instead.  Someone asked at the dinner table, “What’s it really called?”  They still didn’t believe me.  Of course, we were also joking around and I kept calling it Island “So-Yucky” sauce.

(photo credit:  Trader Joe’s)

Anything related to the bathroom or yuck brings forth immense giggling in the under age 10 set.  Sigh.

Cauliflower Fried Rice
serves 4-6

1 head of cauliflower or 24 oz. bag of fresh or frozen cauliflower, cut into florets
1 Tb. sesame oil
2 eggs
1/2 onion, finely diced
1/2 cup frozen peas and carrots
2 garlic cloves, minced
4-5 scallions, chopped and keep the greens separate from the white
3 Tb. soy sauce (use less or more to your tastes)

In your food processor, pulse the cauliflower until it is the size of grains of rice.  Do not simply turn it on and let it run, or the cauliflower will be mush.  You will need to do this in 2-3 batches and set aside.
In a large skillet, heat 1/2 Tb. sesame oil on medium heat.  Add egg and scramble.  Cook until cooked through (firm).  Set aside.
Add the rest of the sesame oil (1/2 Tb) to the skillet.  Cook the onion for 2 minutes.  Add the peas and carrots and cook 5 minutes.  Add garlic and white scallion and cook 30 seconds.
Turn up the heat to medium high and add the cauliflower and cook with the lid on for about 7-8 minutes.  You will need to stir it quite often.
Add the egg back in and add the soy sauce.  Stir until heated through.  Take the skillet off the stove and sprinkle the top with the green scallions.

Recipe from Skinnytaste