Braised Luohan Wheat Gluten
A traditional renowned dish from the Jining region. Wheat gluten is deep-fried and then braised, accompanied by eighteen mushrooms. Elegant in presentation, it is fragrant, tender, and soft.
Ingredients
cooked wheat gluten
1500 g
clear broth
1000 g
soaked dried shiitake mushrooms
25 g
cooked lard
25 g
scallion segments
3 g
Shaoxing wine
10 g
soaked bamboo shoot slices
25 g
peanut oil (about 100 g consumed)
1000 g
ginger
2 g
fresh oyster mushrooms
18
fine salt
4 g
Sichuan pepper oil
10 g
wet cornstarch
25 g
soy sauce
75 g
Instructions
1
Step 1
Trim the edges of the wheat gluten. Score a slit every 1 cm (about 1/5 of the gluten's depth), then cut into 20 slices each 12 cm long, 3.3 cm wide, and 1 cm thick. Slice the shiitake mushrooms and bamboo shoots, and lightly crush the scallion and ginger.
2
Step 2
Add peanut oil to a wok and heat to about 60% hot. Fry the wheat gluten until apricot-yellow, then remove and drain off the oil.
3
Step 3
Pour boiling water into the wok, add the fried gluten, and cook until softened. Transfer to a basin of warm water, rinse off the oil, and squeeze out the excess moisture.
4
Step 4
Add the lard to the wok and heat over medium heat to about 60% hot. Add the scallion and ginger and fry until yellow, then add the soy sauce and 5 g of Shaoxing wine. Once it comes to a boil, remove and discard the scallion and ginger. Add the wheat gluten along with the remaining 5 g of Shaoxing wine, cover, and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. When about half the liquid remains, flip the gluten slices, cover, and simmer for another 5 minutes. Add the shiitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots, oyster mushrooms, and fine salt. Once the pot returns to a boil, remove from the heat. Arrange the bamboo shoot slices at the bottom of a bowl, lay the gluten slices in with the scored side facing down, place the oyster mushrooms around the edge, then steam over high heat for 10 minutes. Remove from the steamer and invert onto a large soup plate.
5
Step 5
Pour the cooking liquid back into the wok and bring to a boil. Stir in the wet cornstarch to make a thin glaze, drizzle in the Sichuan pepper oil, and pour the sauce over the gluten. Serve immediately.
