Braised Luohan Gluten
A traditional specialty of Shandong (Lu) cuisine, made primarily from wheat gluten that is deep-fried and then steamed, prized for its elegant presentation and savory, tender flavor.
Ingredients
Cooked gluten (trim edges, cut parallel decorative scores, then slice)
200g
Soaked shiitake mushroom slices
20g
Soaked bamboo shoot slices
20g
Button mushrooms
50g
Peanut oil (for frying)
150g
Lard (for braising)
200g
Refined salt
5g
Scallion (crushed)
10g
Ginger (crushed)
15g
Soy sauce
10g
Shaoxing wine
15g
Instructions
1
Fry the gluten
Trim the edges of the cooked gluten, cut parallel decorative scores, then slice. Add peanut oil to a wok, heat to about 60% heat (approx. 150°C), fry the gluten until light apricot yellow, then remove and drain excess oil.
2
Soak and clean
Put the fried gluten into a pot of boiling water and cook until soft, transfer to a basin of warm water, wash off the oil stains, and squeeze out all the water.
3
Braise to absorb flavor
Heat the wok again, add lard, heat to 60% heat, add the crushed scallion and ginger and fry until golden, add soy sauce and Shaoxing wine and bring to a boil, remove the scallion and ginger, add the gluten and braise for 15 minutes.
4
Add side ingredients
Add the soaked shiitake slices, soaked bamboo shoot slices, button mushrooms, and refined salt, remove from heat once the pot comes to a boil.
5
Steam
Arrange the bamboo shoot slices at the bottom of a bowl, place the gluten slices one by one with the scored side facing down in the bowl, arrange the mushrooms around the edge, steam over high heat for 10 minutes, then remove and invert onto a large soup bowl.
6
Pour sauce
Pour the soup into the wok, thicken with a thin starch slurry, drizzle with Sichuan peppercorn oil, pour over the gluten and serve.
