Kao Fu is a form of wheat gluten that is made by washing glutenous dough, thereby removing the starches and leaving behind a spongy glutenous structure with a similar texture to meat. It was originally invented by Buddhist monks, who, following a vegetarian diet, were looking for ways to include meat-like textures to their dishes. So in many ways it can be seen as the original version of fake meat.
It is also the name of an aromatic braised Shanghainese dish, in which the wheat gluten takes centre stage. Together with shiitake mushrooms, cloud ear mushrooms, lily flowers (the unopened flowers of the lily plant) and peanuts, it creates a traditionally vegan meal with an exciting diversity of textural elements that soak up all of the aromas from the sweet and salty braising liquid.
Today, many different forms of wheat gluten exist, hailed for their texture as well as their high protein content. On a commercial level, they have saturated the market under the name ‘seitan’, which was coined in 1961 by the Japanese macrobiotic diet advocate George Ohsawa.
Although it is traditionally served as a cold appetiser, Kao Fu makes a great main if served alongside some rice.
serves 4
Ingredients
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160g dried wheat gluten/kao fu
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40g dried shiitake mushrooms
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30g dried black fungus (wood ear mushrooms)
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25g dried lily-flower
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70g raw skinless peanuts
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225g tin Bamboo shoots (140g drained weight)
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60g ginger
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4 tbsp light soy sauce
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2 tbsp dark soy sauce
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2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
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1 tbsp golden granulated sugar
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1 tbsp sesame oil
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Cooked rice to serve
Method
Add the wheat gluten to a large bowl and cover it with cold water, then leave to soak for 2 hours until soft. To a separate bowl, add the shiitake mushrooms, dried wood ear mushrooms, dried lily flower and peanuts. Cover them with cold water and leave to soak for 2 hours as well.
When the gluten is soft, drain it and briefly rinse it under cold water, then squeeze out most of the liquid. Drain the other ingredients but keep their soaking liquid. Drain the bamboo shoots and julienne the ginger.
Heat some oil in a large casserole, wok or frying pan for which you have a lid and fry the bamboo shoots and ginger until the ginger begins to turn golden (2-3 min). Now add the remaining soaked ingredients apart from the gluten and continue to fry it for another 2 minutes. Set everything aside and add a bit more oil to the pan. Then fry the gluten until golden around the edges. Unless you’re using a non-stick pan, it’ll most likely stick to the bottom. Don’t try to loosen it with force as it’ll tear the gluten into smaller pieces. Instead return the set aside ingredients to the pan and pour in the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, the Shaoxing wine, sugar and 750 ml of the reserved soaking liquid. The gluten should now loosen by itself.
Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover with a lid and simmer for 30 minutes, giving it a stir every now and then. After 30 minutes, remove the lid and continue cooking until almost all of the liquid has evaporated (another 15-30 min). If you’re serving it with rice, make sure to cook it now.
Turn off the heat and stir in the sesame oil. Traditionally, Kao Fu is served as a cold appetiser, but you can also eat it warm if you like.
Braised Wheat Gluten (Kao Fu 烤麩)
Ingredients
- 160 g dried wheat gluten/kao fu
- 40 g dried shiitake mushrooms
- 30 g dried black fungus (wood ear mushrooms)
- 25 g dried lily-flower
- 70 g raw skinless peanuts
- 225 g tin Bamboo shoots (140g drained weight)
- 60 g ginger
- 4 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- 1 tbsp golden granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- Cooked rice to serve
Instructions
- Add the wheat gluten to a large bowl and cover it with cold water, then leave to soak for 2 hours until soft. To a separate bowl, add the shiitake mushrooms, dried wood ear mushrooms, dried lily-flower and peanuts. Cover them with cold water and leave to soak for 2 hours as well.
- When the gluten is soft, drain it and briefly rinse it under cold water, then squeeze out most of the liquid. Drain the other ingredients but keep their soaking liquid. Drain the bamboo shoots and julienne the ginger.
- Heat some oil in a large casserole, wok or frying pan for which you have a lid and fry the bamboo shoots and ginger until the ginger begins to turn golden (2-3 min). Now add the remaining soaked ingredients apart from the gluten and continue to fry it for another 2 minutes. Set everything aside and add a bit more oil to the pan. Then fry the gluten until golden around the edges. Unless you’re using a non-stick pan, it’ll most likely stick to the bottom. Don’t try to loosen it with force as it’ll tear the gluten into smaller pieces. Instead return the set aside ingredients to the pan and pour in the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, the Shaoxing wine, sugar and 750 ml of the reserved soaking liquid. The gluten should now loosen by itself.
- Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover with a lid and simmer for 30 minutes, giving it a stir every now and then. After 30 minutes, remove the lid and continue cooking until almost all of the liquid has evaporated (another 15-30 min). If you’re serving it with rice, make sure to cook it now.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the sesame oil. Traditionally, Kao Fu is served as a cold appetiser, but you can also eat it warm if you like.
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