Chinese sweet and sour gluten puffs
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?
Equipment
- 1 Wok
- 1 Pot
Ingredients
- 100 g store-bought fried gluten
- 1.5 Tbsp White vinegar
- 4 Tbsp Ketchup
- 1/2 tsp Table salt
- 2 Tbsp White granulated sugar
- 1 Cup Water
- 1 tsp Cooking oil
Non-vegetarian Ingredient (only for non-vegetarians only!)
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce Optional
Instructions
- 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 oil 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.