Cauliflower Tomato Stir Fry (花菜炒番茄 Hua Cai Chao Fan Qie）

Heat a large pot of water in a saucepan. The hot water will be used to blanch the cauliflower. While waiting for the water to boil, prepare the other ingredients.

Cut the cauliflower head with a knife or break it with your hands into smaller florets. Do not include the thick stem parts. Rinse the florets with water. Cut the garlic gloves into thin slices. Remove the skin of the tomatoes by first making a cross cut at the bottom of each tomato then immersing them in boiling or very hot water. The skins will be readily peel off after 1-2 minutes. If you need more detail and pictures, follow the instructions in step 2 from my Tomato Fish Fillet Tofu Stew recipe.

When the water is boiling, add the cauliflower florets. Add a few drops of oil and maintain the heat at medium-high. Blanch the cauliflower for 2 minutes only in the hot water. After 2 minutes, take the cauliflower out and rinse under cold water immediately. Thoroughly drain the water out and set the blanched cauliflower florets aside.

Heat a large skillet under medium-high heat. Once the skillet is getting hot, add the 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, then add the garlic and the red pepper flakes or dried chili. After the garlic releases its aroma, which is usually within 30 seconds to 1 minute, add the tomato wedges and ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, stirring to mix.

Stir occasionally to prevent the tomatoes from sticking to the bottom of the skillet. After the tomatoes have released a good amount of juice (about 2 minutes), add the cauliflower florets, gently stirring and tossing to combine the tomatoes with the cauliflower florets. Then add the ¼ teaspoon of ground white pepper.

After 2 minutes of tossing, the cauliflower florets should be cooked but still crisp. The tomatoes are well-blended and mostly liquid. Add the 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, mixing well. Transfer to a dish and enjoy. If preferring a softer cauliflower texture, keep tossing for 1-2 more minutes or until desired level of softness is achieved. The dish is best enjoyed while hot.