Four-Happiness Braised Wheat Gluten

Four-Happiness Braised Wheat Gluten

　　Wheat gluten is made by grinding wheat with the bran into wheat bran flour, then kneading, rinsing, and washing it in water to separate out the gluten, which is then fermented and steamed.

　　Four-Happiness Braised Wheat Gluten is a classic Shanghai dish and a delicious vegetarian option suitable for all ages. The traditional "Four-Happiness" refers to four ingredients: shiitake mushrooms, daylily buds, black fungus, and peanuts. Nowadays, you can also add bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, or tea tree mushrooms, creating variations like "Double-Happiness" or "Eight-Happiness."

　　A key step in making Four-Happiness Braised Wheat Gluten is removing the "beany" smell from the gluten. After soaking until softened, repeatedly squeeze it by hand, and it’s even better to rinse and squeeze it under running water. However, simply soaking isn’t enough—you also need to blanch it, which helps remove the odor more effectively.

　　Four-Happiness Braised Wheat Gluten can be served hot or cold. In the Shanghainese style, the gluten is deep-fried so it absorbs the sauce, with every ingredient simmered to rich flavor. Wheat gluten is porous like a sponge, so it’s best paired with fresh, juicy, and flavorful ingredients to bring out the best taste.

　　Ingredients: Wheat gluten, shiitake mushrooms, black fungus, daylily buds, peanuts, cooking oil, dark soy sauce, rock sugar, star anise, cinnamon, scallion bunch, ginger slices, sesame oil, and others to taste.

　　Method: Soak the shiitake mushrooms until softened, then slice them thinly; soak the black fungus until softened, then cut into small pieces; trim the hard ends off the daylily buds, soak until softened, then squeeze out excess water. Boil the wheat gluten in boiling water for 10 minutes, rinse under cold water until cool, then thoroughly squeeze out all moisture (to remove the beany smell), rinse again several times under cold water, and when no off-odor remains, tear into small pieces. Heat oil in a wok, add the scallion bunch and ginger slices to sauté until fragrant, then add the wheat gluten and stir-fry until the surface turns slightly golden. Add appropriate amounts of dark soy sauce, rock sugar, star anise, and cinnamon, stir well. Pour in an appropriate amount of broth, bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Then add the sliced shiitake mushrooms, black fungus, daylily buds, and peanuts, stir, and continue to simmer with the lid on for another 5 minutes. Increase the heat to reduce the sauce until thickened. Just before serving, add a little sesame oil and a spoonful of cooked oil, stir well, then plate.