Cauliflower prepared in the style of a Peruvian saltado: browned edges, lively onion and tomato, ají amarillo, and a short soy-and-vinegar sauce. French fries complete this inexpensive, satisfying homestyle dish, served straight from the wok.
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Cut the potatoes into roughly 1 cm batons and dry them thoroughly. Separate the cauliflower into medium florets; cut the onion into thick wedges, the tomato into wedges, and the ají amarillo into strips. Have everything ready before heating the wok.
Heat the oil in the wok over medium-high heat and fry the potatoes for 8–10 minutes, moving them occasionally, until golden outside and tender inside. Remove them to paper towels. Pour off most of the oil from the wok, leaving a generous coating for the stir-fry.
Increase the heat and add the cauliflower to the hot wok. Stir-fry for 3 minutes, allowing several surfaces to contact the metal directly and develop browned edges. Add the water, cover for 2 minutes, then uncover and let the liquid evaporate completely. The cauliflower should be tender but firm, never soft.
Add the garlic, onion, ají amarillo, and pepper and stir-fry over high heat for 45 seconds. Add the tomato, soy sauce, vinegar, and salt and stir-fry for another 45–60 seconds, just until a short, glossy sauce forms while the onion remains crisp.
Return the potatoes to the wok, add the cilantro, and toss for 20–30 seconds, just long enough to coat them in the sauce without softening them too much. Serve immediately: the cauliflower should retain bite and toasted spots, with juicy tomato, lively onion, and golden potatoes. And that’s it—a meatless saltado with all the attitude of the wok.
