½cup(120 ml) chicken stock or reduced-sodium chicken broth
2tablespoonssoy sauce
2tablespoonsChinese red vinegar or rice vinegar
2tablespoonstoban jan(chile bean sauce)
1 ½teaspoonsoyster sauce
1 ½teaspoonshoney
½teaspoonssambal oelek(Indonesian chile paste)
Pinchkosher salt
1 ½teaspoonscornstarch
3tablespoonsgrapeseed or vegetable oil
2garlic clovesminced
1teaspoonpeeled and minced ginger
Cauliflower:
1head cauliflowercut into bite-size florets
¼cup(15 g) panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
8ounces(225 g) ground pork
10fresh mint leavescut into thin shreds
Instructions
Make the chile-garlic sauce: stir the stock, soy sauce, vinegear, chile bean sauce, oyster sauce, honey, Indonesian chile paste, and salt together in a medium bowl. Sprinkle the cornstarch over 1 tablespoon water in a small cup or ramekin and stir to dissolve it.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and cook just until they are browned, about 30 seconds. Stir in the stock mixture and bring to a simmer. Mix the cornstarch mixture to recombine, and stir it into the sauce. Cook until the sauce is thickened, about 1 minute. Remove it from the heat. (The chile sauce can be cooled, covered, and refrigerated for up to 5 days.)
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the cauliflower and cook it until it is just tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain it in a colander and rinse it under cold running water. Transfer the cauliflower to a large bowl of iced water and let it cool completely. Drain it well and pat it dry with paper towels.
Heat a large wok or skillet over medium heat. Add the panko and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is toasted, about 1 minute. Transfer the panko to a plate.
Return the wok to medium-high heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and heat until it is hot but not smoking. Add the pork and cook, stirring often and breaking up the meat with the side of a wooden spoon, until the pork is browned, about 3 minutes. Stir in the chile sauce. Add the cauliflower and cook, stirring often, until the cauliflower is heated through and the sauce is thicker, about 2 minutes.
Transfer the mixture to a serving dish. Top it with the toasted panko and mint and serve it hot.