Southern Fried Cauliflower

I do somewhat seem to attract people who think they are in influential and powerful positions and somehow I should bow down to them because they think they can make things happen.  When truth is they have very little power and abuse it.  I'd even go down as saying, perhaps there is an element of class and racism coming into play as well, but its hard to tell when people hide behind a fascade of being people led, when really its a few dominant people really in charge who are pulling their puppet strings. The problem people have with me is, I don't tolerate this nonsense and confront them, and tell them as I experience it - then they are clever and are able to twist things, so it appears that I am the one with the issue, but then I learn from others like me - that they have also been treated the same way. This cannot continue. 

Anyway, onto something really delicious.  I have only ever had  KFC once in my life, it was in my early teens.  My father took us out on a day trip to Birmingham and we ate out.  This was a big deal for as we rarely ate out, my mother is a fantastic home cook you see.  

I remember only ever liking the spicy batter, even then I disliked the eating meat.  

D has had KFC or the equivalent from his time in the US. He said the batter was spot and the cauliflower worked well in place of chicken.  I have mentioned before, my husband only ever eats fish and seafood now and even then, that's quite rare as I don't make it at home. So he was really delighted with this change of flavourful lunch. Of course, he dipped his in blue cheese with some pickled gherkins - apparently that is the way to eat it. 

Just a word of warning, when deep frying the cauliflower - your hot oil will turn red from the paprika.  

Southern Fried Cauliflower
Serves 4 
Ingredients
1 large cauliflower head, broken into large bite size pieces
Salt and pepper taste
2 tablespoons sunflower oil

For the Southern Fried Batter
200ml unsweetened non-diary milk
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
4 tablespoons hot sauce like Sriracha
2 teaspoons cornflour
260g plain flour
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 tablespoon chilli or cayenne powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons onion powder

1 teaspoon dried sage

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 tablespoon sea salt

Generous grinding of black pepper

Oil for deep frying
Method
Preheat the oven to gas mark 7/220oc.
Put the cauliflower on a large baking sheet, season with salt and pepper.  
Then drizzle over with the oil.  
Toss well to coat, then roast in the oven for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Method for batter
In a large bowl, combine the non-dairy milk with the cider vinegar and hot sauce. 
Quickly whisk in the cornflour, then set aside.

In another bowl, combine the flour and the spices.
Dip the cauliflower into the batter.
Then into the spicy flour mixture.
Then into the again into the flour mixture.

Heat the oil for deep frying.
Carefully drop into the hot oil trying not to overcrowd.
Fry until golden. Remove with slotted spoon.
Serve immediately. 
Adapted from this and this and this recipe all available on the Internet.