Cauliflower Manchurian

STEP 1: MAKE THE CHILI OIL

Warm the neutral oil with the sliced bird's eye chilies, Kashmiri chili powder, crushed garlic and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan over the lowest possible heat for 10 minutes. It should barely shimmer; frying the chilies turns the oil bitter.

STEP 2: STEEP AND STORE THE CHILI OIL

Cool completely and leave to steep at room temperature for at least 2 hours, or overnight. Strain it or leave the solids in, as you prefer. It keeps refrigerated for a month and improves over the first week, so it is best made ahead.

STEP 3: BUILD THE AROMATIC BASE

Heat the oil in a wide pan or wok over high heat until it is genuinely hot. Add the chopped garlic, ginger and scallion whites and stir hard for 30 to 45 seconds. They should smell sweet and toasted, not raw and not browned - this base carries the depth of flavor the judge picked out, and it is the one step worth being fussy about.

STEP 4: BLOOM THE CHILI AND ADD THE SAUCE

Stir in the Kashmiri chili powder and cook for 20 seconds more, then add the light soy sauce, ketchup, rice vinegar, brown sugar and water. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Taste: it should read sweet, sour and savory in roughly equal measure, with the sourness arriving last.

STEP 5: THICKEN TO A GLAZE

Stir the slaked cornstarch, pour it in, and boil for a full minute, stirring constantly. It is ready when it coats the back of a spoon and a line drawn through it holds its edge for a second or two. It should look too thick to be a sauce - a pourable sauce is what made the original difficult to eat in one bite.

STEP 6: FINISH THE GLAZE

Off the heat, stir in the white pepper and toasted sesame oil. Keep it warm, or cool it and reheat gently later, loosening with a teaspoon of water if it sets too firm.

STEP 7: BLANCH THE CAULIFLOWER

Bring a pan of salted water to a boil, drop in the cauliflower florets for 90 seconds, then lift them straight into iced water. Drain and dry thoroughly on a cloth. This brief blanch means the inside is cooked before the outside has to wait for it.

STEP 8: MIX THE BATTER

Whisk the cornstarch, flour, ginger-garlic paste, Kashmiri chili powder, salt and baking powder with enough cold water - about 2/3 cup - to make a batter the consistency of thin cream. It should coat a floret in a thin, even skin rather than a jacket.

STEP 9: FIRST FRY

Heat the frying oil to 325F (165C). Coat the florets in batter and fry in batches for 3 to 4 minutes, until the coating is set and still pale. Lift them out onto a wire rack and rest for at least 10 minutes. They can wait up to an hour at this stage.

STEP 10: SECOND FRY

Raise the oil to 375F (190C) and fry the florets a second time for 60 to 90 seconds, until deep gold and hard to the tap. Drain on a wire rack, never on paper, which softens the underside. The double fry is what buys the crust the 30 seconds it spends in the glaze.

STEP 11: GLAZE THE FLORETS

Season the hot florets with a pinch of salt the moment they leave the oil. Toss them in the warm glaze in a bowl, no more than 8 at a time, for about 10 seconds - just until each one is lacquered. Any longer and the crust begins to surrender.

STEP 12: ASSEMBLE AND SERVE

Skewer each floret, or set it in a small crisp lettuce cup or paper cone: one floret, one mouthful, one hand. Finish with the reserved scallion greens, toasted sesame seeds and a single cilantro leaf. Add the chili oil last, as a single drop on each piece, or set it on the table in a small dish so people can take their own. Serve within two minutes.