Gluten(面筋):
In Chinese, it is pronounced as: miàn jīn，Written as:

Gluten is a plant-based protein made up of gliadin and glutenin. To make gluten, flour is mixed with an appropriate amount of water and a little salt, stirred until it becomes tough, and then formed into a dough. The dough is then washed repeatedly with water to remove the starch and other impurities, leaving behind the gluten. To prepare fried gluten, it is shaped into balls and deep-fried in hot oil until golden brown, then removed and served. Boiled gluten is prepared by cooking the washed gluten in boiling water for 80 minutes until it is done, resulting in “water gluten.”
Historical records indicate that gluten was first created during the Northern and Southern Dynasties in China, and became a delicacy in vegetarian gardens, especially in dishes that mimic the taste and texture of meat, making it a unique aspect of Chinese cuisine that has been beloved for generations. By the Yuan Dynasty, gluten was produced in large quantities, and by the Ming Dynasty, Fang Yizhi’s “Little Knowledge of Physics” detailed the method for washing gluten. In the Qing Dynasty, the variety of gluten dishes increased, and new recipes were continuously invented.
Nutritionally, gluten is particularly high in protein, surpassing lean pork, chicken, eggs, and most soy products in protein content. It is a high-protein, low-fat, low-sugar, and low-calorie food, which also contains calcium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, and other trace elements, making it a traditional delicacy.
The origin of fried gluten can be traced back to a nunnery, where it was invented by a senior nun. The nunnery was located near the Five Mile Street Bridge, close to Huishan, and featured a serene environment. Throughout the year, devout Buddhists frequently visited, especially during festivals or on the birthdays of Bodhisattvas, with elderly women from Wuxi often staying to chant and meditate overnight, sometimes for as long as six or seven days. The nunnery’s cook, renowned for her vegetarian dishes, used raw gluten as the main ingredient in her cooking, creating dishes that were famous for their taste and variety, including braised, stir-fried, and soup-based dishes, often complemented with winter bamboo shoots and mushrooms, drawing praise from all who dined there.
Once, several elderly women from the countryside who had planned to come to the nunnery for an overnight prayer session failed to show up. The cook had already prepared several tables’ worth of raw gluten, which would spoil if left overnight. Concerned about the gluten spoiling, she first added some salt to the vat but remained worried. After some thought, she decided to try frying the gluten in oil to prevent it from going bad, ensuring it could still be used for cooking the next day. She heated a large amount of oil, and fearing that the gluten wouldn’t cook through, she fried small pieces at a time. As she tossed them in the oil, they expanded into golden, crispy hollow spheres. Scooped out and tested—crispy to the touch, fragrant to the nose, and delicious to the taste—the unanimous approval led to these fried gluten hollow spheres being named “oil gluten.”