Flavourful and juicy vegetarian gluten puffs smothered in a delectable and tangy sweet and sour sauce that’s hard to resist. Who says Vegetarian food needs to taste bland?

Introduction

Out of all the Chinese vegetarian dishes that I have consumed, Chinese sweet and sour gluten puffs otherwise known as 甜酸齋 in Cantonese has got to be my all-top favourite vegetarian dish. It along with its two siblings the curry-flavoured gluten puffs and the oyster-flavoured gluten puffs typically make up the tri-colour vegetarian combo that you typically see being sold at vegetarian restaurants or at Asian supermarkets in the vegetarian section.

The gluten puffs are soft and flavourful with a very unique texture as you bite down on it, while the sauce is sweet and tangy.

Due to it’s incredible taste, this sweet and sour gluten ball dish is enjoyed by both vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike and is typically eaten in my household during special Chinese holidays, although there’s nothing stopping you from eating it on a regular basis too.

Every bite into these gluten balls is just packed with flavour.

Wow!

I’m actually kind of salivating just thinking about this dish as I write this blog post.

This vegetarian gluten recipe is the first of my tri-colour vegetarian gluten platter series that I will be posting. on my site. So stay tuned for the other recipes!

What Are Gluten Puffs?

Gluten puffs, gluten balls, Seitan or 麵筋 (mien gun) in Cantonese is a type of wheat gluten that is typically found in a lot of Chinese vegetarian dishes, and neighboring Asian countries as well. These seitan wheat protein puffs are used as a meat substitute as they have a somewhat similar texture to meat and are usually cooked with a variety of different sauces and techniques such as frying or stir-frying.

Due to its somewhat similar texture to meat, it’s a great meat substitute for those of you who still miss eating meat from time to time.

Where to Buy Gluten Puffs

Gluten puffs/balls are readily available at nearly all Asian supermarkets, usually in the vegetarian or tofu section.

Ingredients

100g Store bought fried gluten

1.5 Tbsp White vinegar

4 Tbsp Ketchup

½ tsp Table salt

2 Tbsp White granulated sugar

1 cup Water

1 tsp Cooking oil

Optional: 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (only add for non-vegetarian version to enhance the flavour!)

Ingredient Notes

Gluten puffs: You’ll find these readily available at your local Asian supermarket. They may come in a different form as well and be called gluten balls but they pretty much taste the same. Sometimes you may find them being sold as 1 large piece that needs to be cut, but I suggest that you avoid this kind of gluten for this recipe and stick with the ones in a bag that are already fried and in separate pieces. There is also another version of gluten that is very dense and sort of resembles a piece of tofu when it isn’t cut into pieces. It sort of tastes like a piece of stale bread that has been left out for a while and resembles a sponge. This gluten should also not be used for this recipe. My local Asian grocery store doesn’t seem to sell it so unfortunately I can’t show you guys how it looks but if you see a piece of gluten that looks like a sponge and is dense, don’t use it for this recipe lol.

Worcestershire sauce: Worcestershire sauce is a great flavour enhancer and brings a nice tangy and sweet taste to the sauce, thereby elevating its flavour profile. However, it should be noted that Worcestershire sauce typically contains anchovies thereby making it inappropriate for vegetarians. If you’re not a die-hard vegetarian and can consume meat then adding in a little Worcestershire sauce makes a big impact on the sauce, otherwise, skip it altogether.

Substitutions

Gluten puffs: You can buy gluten balls instead of gluten puffs. They are essentially the same.
White granulated sugar: You can substitute white granulated sugar with brown sugar if you want a more molasses type of taste and a darker brownish sauce. Rock sugar also works well with this recipe.

How to Make Sweet and Sour Gluten Puffs

This sweet and sour seitan gluten recipe is super simple to make and is easily ready to eat in 30 minutes or less. It also only requires 7 ingredients (8 for non-vegetarians) to make. Here’s how to make Chinese sweet and sour gluten balls:

Note: Since a lot of non-vegetarians also love to make this dish to eat, I’ve created 2 versions of the recipe. One for vegetarians that contain no meat products and another for “non-vegetarians” that like to enjoy Chinese vegetarian dishes once in a while, or during special holidays during the year. The only difference is the inclusion of Worcestershire sauce which elevates the flavour profile of the dish.

Start by blanching the gluten puffs in a pot of hot water for around 1-2 minutes to get rid of the smell and taste of the oil. It also releases some of the fat trapped inside of the gluten puffs. As you blanch the gluten puffs, they will become soft and shrink in size. Use a ladle to press down on the gluten to further release any excess oil that is inside of the gluten puffs.

Then immediately drain the gluten puffs and rinse it over cold water to further get rid of some of the oil.
Now turn off the tap and gently squeeze out all of the water that was soaked up in the gluten puffs but don’t be too rough when squeezing it otherwise the gluten puffs will tear and break apart.
Once all of the liquid has been squeezed out, allow the gluten puffs to cool down on a strainer and set it aside.

Now time to prepare the sauce. In a bowl add in your ketchup, sugar, vinegar, table salt, followed shortly by the water.
If you’re making the non-vegetarian version of this recipe, make sure to add in the Worcestershire sauce in as well.
Now using a wok, heat it under medium heat.
Once you start to see some smoke coming out of the wok, add in about a tsp of cooking oil to the wok.

Once the oil is hot enough, add in your sauce and heat it to a boil while occasionally mixing it in the wok.
Once you see the sauce start to boil and bubbles start to form, add in your gluten from earlier.

Mix everything well together and then allow it to simmer over medium heat.
Continue mixing the sauce with the gluten puffs by scooping the bottom of the gluten puffs and bringing them to the top of the wok.

Repeat this until the sauce has been reduced, around 5 minutes. There should be just a tiny bit of sauce left on the edges by the time you are done.
Once done remove the gluten from the wok and serve.

Chinese sweet and sour gluten puffs blog image #1

Chinese sweet and sour gluten puffs blog image #2

Tips

This dish can be served either hot or cold.
Do not blanch the gluten puffs for too long in the water, otherwise it will soak up a tonne of water and act like a sponge and become overly soft.

Common Mistakes Beginners Make

Blanching the gluten for far too long causing the gluten to become overly soft and wet. It should be blanched for no more than 2 minutes tops!
The gluten puffs easily break apart due to too much pressure from squeezing them too hard when trying to get rid of the water in the gluten puffs. Be a little more gentle when squeezing the gluten puffs.
Not giving enough time for the sauce to reduce and also for the gluten to soak up all of the sauce, ending up with a runny and overly watery sauce.

Storage Tips

The dish can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Side Dishes:

Typically this dish is served with other vegetarian dishes, especially its close cousins the curry-flavoured gluten puffs and the oyster-flavoured gluten puffs.

Another great vegetarian dish that goes well with this dish is my stir-fried bok choy recipe.

Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q.S)

Does This Dish Contain Gluten?

Yes, this dish is not gluten free as the main star of the show is gluten.

I Can’t Find Gluten Puffs/Balls at the Grocery Store, Can I Make Them Myself?

Yes, you can but it’s really not worth the effort unless you are making a tonne of gluten at once, plus think of all that frying you’re going to need to do ?. If you can’t find them then I suggest that you try to order them online. A lot of Asian grocery stores nowadays offer delivery.

Are Gluten Puffs Healthy?

The gluten puffs are fried in hot oil. A 100g bag of these gluten puffs contain about 300 calories. You be the judge of that!

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