Sticky Silan Teriyaki

Directions

1. Whisk together the soy sauce, Silan Date Syrup, mirin, 1/4 cup water, minced clove garlic, and onion powder. Add the mixture to a small pot and turn on med-low heat to bring to a simmer.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and 1 Tbsp water to make a slurry then add it to the sauce in the pot. Whisk to combine and let simmer for 1-2 minutes to thicken until it clings to a spoon. Turn off the heat and set aside until ready to use. Can be made in advance and stored in the fridge.

For the Tofu and Cauliflower

1. In a large bowl, mix together rice flour, sesame seeds, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, white pepper, sesame oil, and water to make a thick batter.

2. Pour half of the mixture into a second bowl. Add the cauliflower florets to one bowl and pressed tofu cubes to a second bowl. Gently toss to coat with the batter. If needed, sprinkle on extra rice flour to thicken the batter.

3. To deep fry: Heat a couple of inches of oil in a pan to 375F, or until the oil bubbles around a piece of batter when dropped in. Fry the cauliflower and tofu in batches for about 5 minutes each batch until they turn a light golden brown and drain them on a paper towel lined plate.

4. To bake: Preheat the oven to 425F and arrange the cauliflower and tofu in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Divide across two baking sheets if necessary. Bake for 15 minutes, then flip and bake an additional 10 minutes or until the coating is crispy and golden brown in spots.

5. Heat a skillet or wok over medium-high heat. When hot, add the cauliflower and tofu and the teriyaki sauce. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring to coat everything in sauce. Once the sauce is thick and mostly absorbed into the cauliflower and tofu turn off the heat, add the scallion greens and serve over rice.