Dry Pot Cauliflower
Wok-charred cauliflower with pork, chilli, and garlic.
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Join HomecookedIngredients
- 1 Cauliflower
- 150 g Pork belly
- 1 tbsp Pixian doubanjiang
- 4 cloves Garlic
- 1 tbsp Light soy sauce
- 3 tbsp Neutral oil
- 5 Dried chilies (optional)
- 2 Scallions (optional)
Method
- Cut the cauliflower into small florets; slice the pork and garlic.
- Heat the oil in a wok over high heat and char the cauliflower hard until browned at the edges, then set aside.
- In the same wok, crisp the pork with the dried chili and doubanjiang, then return the cauliflower and add the soy, tossing to coat.
- Scatter the scallions over and serve.
Nutrition per serving
Estimated from ingredients; varies with exact portions and brands.
About Dry Pot Cauliflower
Dry pot cauliflower — gan guo — comes from the Sichuan and Hunan tradition of "dry pot" cooking, where ingredients are stir-fried and served in a dish that stays dry and intensely flavored rather than swimming in sauce. Cauliflower florets are charred hard in a hot wok until browned and slightly caramelized at the edges, which is what gives the dish its characteristic nutty, smoky depth. Pork belly crisped with dried chilies and Pixian doubanjiang — the fermented broad-bean-and-chili paste that is the soul of Sichuan cooking — brings richness, salt, and a fragrant, spicy heat.
The eating experience is bold and layered: crisp-tender cauliflower that has soaked up the porky, chili-laced oil, savory edges from the doubanjiang, and a fresh lift from scallions scattered over the top. It's the kind of robust, rice-demanding plate meant to anchor a shared table, its flavors strong enough to carry a bowl of plain rice on their own. Sized for two and ready in around 25 minutes, this version keeps the technique that matters most — a genuinely hard char on the cauliflower before anything else joins the wok — which is the difference between a memorable dry pot and a soggy stir-fry.
Equipment: wok.
Dry Pot Cauliflower: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Dry Pot Cauliflower?
One serving of Dry Pot Cauliflower has about 711 calories, with 14g of protein, 23g of carbs, 64g of fat and 9g of fiber. These are estimates based on the ingredient amounts in this recipe and will vary with your exact portions and brands.
Is Dry Pot Cauliflower gluten-free?
As written, no — it contains Pixian doubanjiang, Light soy sauce. You'd need a certified gluten-free swap for those ingredients to make it gluten-free.
How long does Dry Pot Cauliflower take to make?
About 25 minutes start to finish, but only around 19 of those are hands-on — the rest is cooking time. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
Do I need every ingredient to make Dry Pot Cauliflower?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out dried chilies, scallions — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Dry Pot Cauliflower make?
This recipe makes 2 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.