1. Spicy Beef with Sesame Flavor
Ingredients: Wheat gluten, sesame seeds, salt, soy sauce, chili oil, ginger juice, Sichuan peppercorns, sesame oil, cooking wine, vegetable oil, red yeast rice (all to taste).
Step 1: Steam the wheat gluten in a steamer basket until tender, then press it flat. Once cooled, slice thickly. Coat with red yeast rice juice for coloring and set aside as beef base.
Step 2: Rinse sesame seeds, roast until fragrant, then grind into powder. Soak Sichuan peppercorns briefly in warm water; remove peppercorns and reserve the peppercorn water.
Step 3: Heat vegetable oil in a wok over high heat until it reaches 70% heat. Add beef mixture in small batches and deep-fry until red and floating on the surface. Remove and set aside.In a separate pot, add the beef mixture along with 500ml of broth, salt, soy sauce, ginger juice, and Sichuan pepper water. Simmer until the beef softens and absorbs the flavors, reducing the sauce. Stir in sesame powder, chili oil, cooking wine, and sesame oil before serving.
2. Luohan Braised Gluten Noodles
Ingredients: Cooked gluten, button mushrooms, winter bamboo shoots, dried shiitake mushrooms, green peas, dried tofu skin, sesame oil, soy sauce, cornstarch slurry, cooking oil as needed.
Step 1: Score cooked gluten in a crisscross pattern, then deep-fry until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
Slice winter bamboo shoots, dried shiitake mushrooms, and button mushrooms. Blanch green peas in water and set aside.
Step 2: Soak dried tofu skin in the water used to blanch peas until softened, then cut into 1.5-inch pieces.
Blanch green peas in water until tender and set aside.
Step 3:Slice bamboo shoots, shiitake mushrooms, and button mushrooms; blanch green peas in water and set aside.
Step 2: Soak dried tofu skin in the blanching water until softened, then cut into 1.5-inch segments; re-soak gluten in the blanching water until soft, squeeze out excess moisture, and set aside.
Step 3:Heat oil in a wok until 60% hot. Add bamboo shoots, shiitake mushrooms, and button mushroom slices. Stir-fry until fragrant. Add soy sauce and salt to taste. Add wheat gluten, green peas, and dried tofu. Pour in water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to low heat and simmer for about 15 minutes. When the broth has reduced by half, increase heat to high to thicken the sauce. Thicken with a light cornstarch slurry. Drizzle with sesame oil before serving.
3. Stuffed Gluten Balls
Ingredients: Gluten balls, ground meat, shrimp, egg, salt, soy sauce, sugar, cooking wine, chicken bouillon, scallions, ginger
Step 1: Finely chop meat and shrimp. Mix ground meat with cooking wine, salt, and beaten egg, stirring clockwise until well combined.
Step 2: Use chopsticks to poke a small hole in each gluten piece and stuff with the meat mixture. Heat oil in a wok. Once hot, add chopped scallions and ginger slices. Add stuffed gluten pieces, then pour in soy sauce, sugar, chicken bouillon, and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce to medium heat and simmer briefly. Finally, increase to high heat to thicken the sauce. Garnish with chopped scallions before serving.
4. Sweet and Sour Gluten Noodles
Ingredients: Gluten noodles, scallions, garlic, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, salt, cornstarch, sesame oil.
Step 1: Split gluten noodles in half lengthwise, then cut into thin strips. Heat oil in a wok over medium heat. Once hot, add gluten strips and fry until crispy, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Remove and drain.
Step 2: Combine minced scallions and garlic (use more garlic), vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, salt, and cornstarch in a bowl (use generous amounts of sugar and vinegar). Heat a small amount of oil in a wok. Once hot, add the mixture from Step 4 and stir to thicken the sauce. Finish with a drizzle of sesame oil.
5.Three-Flavor Vegetarian Fish Maw
Main ingredients: Fried gluten, dried shiitake mushrooms, winter bamboo shoots, Chinese cabbage hearts, cornstarch, soy sauce, cooking wine, white sugar, MSG, sesame oil, peanut oil (all to taste).
Step 1: Cut the fried gluten into small cubes; wash fresh bamboo shoots and slice into diamond shapes; shred rehydrated shiitake mushrooms; trim and cut Chinese cabbage hearts into sections.
Step 2:Heat oil in a wok over high heat until moderately hot. Stir-fry shiitake mushrooms and fresh bamboo shoots. Add soy sauce, cooking wine, sugar, MSG, sesame oil, and 35ml broth. Bring to a boil. Add gluten cubes and cook until tender. Add bamboo shoot slices, shiitake strips, and Chinese cabbage segments. Thicken with cornstarch slurry.
6. Vegetarian Sweet and Sour Ribs
Ingredients: Lotus root, gluten, vinegar, sugar, cornstarch, flour, tomato sauce.
Step 1: Wash lotus root and cut into long strips. Wrap each strip with moist gluten, then soak in cold water (to prevent sticking).
Step 2: Add water and salt to a skillet. Once boiling, add the gluten-coated lotus root and blanch until tender. Remove and drain. Lightly salt the gluten-coated lotus root. Prepare a crisp batter, coat the lotus root evenly, then dust with dry starch. Set aside.
Step 3: Heat refined oil in a clean wok over high heat until it reaches medium heat (50% heat). Fry the gluten-wrapped lotus root for about 15 seconds, then remove and drain excess oil. Pour the prepared sweet and sour sauce into the clean wok, thicken with a light starch slurry, add the fried gluten-lotus root, toss to coat evenly, and immediately transfer to a serving plate.
7. Gluten with Green Peppers
Ingredients:Gluten, green peppers, oil, soy sauce, salt, sugar, water.
Step 1: Rinse gluten thoroughly, then tear into pieces by hand (tearing yields better texture than cutting). Wash green peppers and slice into strips.
Step 2: Heat oil in a wok. Add gluten and stir-fry for 1 minute. Pour in soy sauce and continue stir-frying for 1-2 minutes.Add the green peppers and stir-fry briefly. Season with salt and a pinch of sugar, stir a few times, then add a splash of water. Cover and simmer for 2 minutes before serving.
Tip: After frying gluten, rinse thoroughly in hot water to remove excess oil for a more flavorful result. For non-vegetarian versions, add pork, scallions, and ginger as desired.