Firm cauliflower florets, quickly stir-fried with garlic and ginger, take on a savory sheen from oyster sauce and broth. Served with rice, this Indonesian-Chinese stir-fry makes a complete main course.
Kembang kol means cauliflower in Indonesian; saus tiram is oyster sauce. Together, they describe the heart of this dish: cauliflower quickly stir-fried and coated in a salty, savory sauce. Indonesian-Chinese dishes are part of a broad culinary tradition, with varied influences and regional variations. This version is a practical home-cooked preparation, not a claim to a single, definitive or original recipe.
Cauliflower is firmly the star ingredient here. Cut the florets to roughly the same size so they cook at the same time. Fry them over high heat and give them room: that way, some edges turn golden instead of the vegetable immediately steaming. A little broth then cooks the florets through without making them limp. The cauliflower should remain tender-crisp, retaining enough structure to take up the sauce.
Garlic and ginger provide a fresh, aromatic base; oyster sauce brings a deep, briny flavor. Soy sauce makes the whole dish a little more savory, so extra salt usually isn’t needed. A small amount of cornstarch in the cold broth helps the sauce cling to the cauliflower. Stir it well to dissolve before pouring it into the wok, or the cornstarch may settle to the bottom.
Dutch cauliflower is widely available from late spring through fall, but this dish also works with a firm head of cauliflower from another season. No wok? Use a large, heavy skillet and, if needed, fry the cauliflower in two batches; an overcrowded pan won’t get hot enough. For a version without oyster sauce, you can use vegetarian mushroom sauce. It also adds umami, but the flavor is different. Use unsalted broth if you have it, so you can better control the saltiness.
Serve the stir-fry straight away with plain white rice, which soaks up the sauce nicely. Spring onion adds a fresh, slightly sharp counterpoint. You can put sambal on the table for anyone who wants more heat; it isn’t part of the basic recipe. There’s usually very little sauce left over, but if you do have leftovers, cool them quickly, cover and refrigerate them, and eat within two days. Reheat the cauliflower until piping hot; store cooked rice separately and cool it quickly.
Cook the rice according to the package instructions. Keep warm while you prepare the cauliflower.
Mix the cold broth with the oyster sauce, soy sauce, cornstarch and white pepper until the cornstarch has dissolved.
Heat the oil in a large wok or heavy skillet over high heat. Fry the cauliflower in a single layer in two batches, about 3 minutes per batch. Toss regularly; let the florets brown in a few places. Return all the cauliflower to the pan.
Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
Stir the broth mixture again and pour it over the cauliflower. Toss to coat, cover the pan and cook for 3–5 minutes. Stir once in between. Remove the lid as soon as the florets are tender-crisp and the sauce is glossy and lightly thickened.
Divide the rice between two bowls or plates. Spoon the cauliflower and sauce on top and finish with the spring onion.
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