I learned about the genesis of this dish from Suvir Saran, an Indian chef in New York. This dish is Manchurian in origin and is based on an ingredient that is in almost every refrigerator. It's stir-fried chicken with ketchup, and before you turn your nose up, think how good ketchup can taste. In the version he cooked for me, Mr. Saran tossed cauliflower in a slurry of cornstarch and egg, then deep-fried it. The crust was exquisite, and the cauliflower perfectly cooked. But it was what happened next that really got my attention: He finished the cauliflower in a sauce, made in about three minutes, containing nothing more than ketchup, garlic and cayenne pepper.

Featured in: The Minimalist; A Condiment Gets To Shine.