Ingredients
200 g cooked gluten, 20 g each of rehydrated shiitake mushroom slices and rehydrated bamboo shoot slices, 50 g fresh or rehydrated button mushrooms.
Seasonings
150 g peanut oil, 5 g salt, 15 g each of ginger and Shaoxing wine, 10 g each of scallion and soy sauce, 200 g lard.
Instructions
1. Trim the edges off the cooked wheat gluten, score the surface with parallel knife marks, then slice into pieces. Heat peanut oil in a wok to 60% hot (about 350°F/175°C), deep-fry the gluten pieces until golden brown, then remove and drain the oil.
2. Place the deep-fried gluten balls into a pot of boiling water and cook until softened, then transfer them to a basin of warm water, wash off the oil, and squeeze out the excess water; return the wok to the heat with lard, heat to 60% hot, add flattened scallions and ginger and fry until golden, then add soy sauce and Shaoxing wine, bring to a boil, remove the scallions and ginger, add the gluten and simmer for 15 minutes, then add rehydrated shiitake mushroom slices, rehydrated bamboo shoot slices, dried mushrooms, and salt.
3. When the pot comes to a boil, remove it from the heat. Arrange the bamboo shoot slices at the bottom of a bowl, then place the gluten pieces cut-side down in the bowl one by one. Arrange the dried mushrooms around the sides. Steam over high heat in a steamer for 10 minutes. Remove and invert onto a large soup bowl. Pour the accumulated liquid back into the pot, thicken with a light cornstarch slurry, drizzle with Sichuan peppercorn oil, and pour over the gluten. This dish is beautifully presented, tender and savory, with refined preparation and rich nutrition.