Orange Peel Cauliflower

Ya like General Tso’s chicken? Or at least you’ve definitely had orange chicken. Well, that’s the kinda shit we’re aimin’ for here. Also, not a thing in China. That is some specifically American shit. There’s even a whole documentary about how American-Chinese food was designed for white American palates by immigrants. See, in the 1880s America had this fucked-up law called the Chinese Exclusion Act that prevented immigrants from holding jobs at American companies. So a shitload of Chinese restaurants start popping up. And the dude who created the original dish? Taiwanese. General Tso’s Chicken has absolutely nothing the fuck to do with China or General Zuo Zongtang. Which, by the way, his successful military career aside, General Zuo was really into growing his own food. Zuo tried to reform commercial agriculture, believing it’d strengthen China’s self-sufficiency and improve the standard of living for communities. Anyway, that’s the kinda shit we’re aiming for here.

Get this recipe and more in Bad Manners: Brave New Meal.