The Magic of Guilt-Free Carbs: Why They Outshine Meat in Flavor

From the Yangtze River to the Great Wall, it appears in Gansu's flour soup, Inner Mongolia's酿皮, Shaanxi's cold skin noodles, Henan's spicy soup, Northeast China's barbecue, Guangdong's beef offal stew, Jiangsu-Zhejiang's vegetarian noodles, and Fujian's broths... Wherever Chinese people cultivate wheat, gluten-based delicacies grace the dining tables.

Tianjin's shrimp-stuffed gluten, coated in an irresistibly thick sauce.

From beyond the Great Wall to the Jiangnan region, the laboring Chinese people have extracted the essence of wheat over millennia, giving rise to the myriad flavors of gluten. Sweet, sour, spicy, or salty—each embodies the vibrant culinary culture across China.

An incomplete atlas of Chinese gluten—a map guaranteed to make you hungry.

Northern-style gluten: The bold choice behind the waving wheat fields.

From the Northwest to the Guanzhong Plain, from the Central Plains to the North China Plain, the sight of wind-swept wheat fields remains the most hopeful harvest scene for northerners. The wheat-rich northern lands inspire locals to generously use gluten in staple dishes year-round.

Xinjiang wheat fields, where golden waves paint the blue "canvas" of the sky.

In scorching summers, northerners pair gluten with cold skin noodles, garnished with shredded cucumber, aged vinegar, and chili oil—a refreshing, appetite-whetting summer meal devoured heartily by families. In freezing winters, they simmer gluten in rich meat broth for a hearty breakfast that fuels the day. From winter to summer, gluten is an indispensable homely flavor.

Gluten in cold skin noodles, bouncing on the tongue like a rubber band.

Zhangye, Gansu—the "Pearl of the Silk Road"—lies at the foot of the Qilian Mountains. Its endless wheat fields stretch to the horizon, making it a key spring wheat region. Locals excel not only in wheat farming but also in crafting famed beef noodle gluten with freshly milled flour.

Beef noodle gluten—where gluten and meat blur into one.

A bowl of beef noodle gluten arrives: chunks of chewy, fragrant gluten swim in rich beef bone broth, satisfying hunger and cravings alike; translucent noodles glide smoothly; crisp cabbage floats in the velvety soup, adding a fresh aroma that whets the appetite.

Beef noodle gluten—big chunks of meat, hearty bites of "gluten."

Zhangye's gluten-making involves not just "washing" but also "fermenting" and "griddling." Premium wheat dough is kneaded, rinsed, then mixed with flour and yeast for fermentation. The fermented gluten is alkalized and griddled into 5cm-thick cakes—only then is the base ingredient ready. Zhangye's gluten owes its robust wheaty texture to this process.

Beef noodle gluten starts with griddled gluten cakes.

In Zhangye, locals kickstart their day with steaming beef noodle gluten. At dawn, settling into a fragrant street stall for a bowl brimming with meat, noodles, veggies, and broth, they savor a life as fulfilling as the verse: "Forgetting Qilian's snowy peaks, mistaking Zhangye for Jiangnan."

Bayannur in Inner Mongolia's Hetao region, one of the world's top three wheat zones, produces spring wheat with over 35% gluten content. Abundant sunlight, drastic temperature shifts, fertile soil, and pristine conditions yield uniquely resilient, fragrant gluten—a staple in Bayannur's daily meals.

Preserving its natural essence lets Bayannur gluten shine.

Bayannur gluten—even gluten has great "figure."

Photo/cozy niu

People in Bayannur cut steamed gluten into strips, sprinkle with crispy fried peanuts, add refreshing side dishes like shredded cucumber, cilantro, and carrots, and top it off with locally made pickled vegetables. A drizzle of chili oil, sesame oil, and vinegar completes the dish, making it irresistibly appetizing. The smooth and chewy gluten bursts with flavor, while the crisp vegetables dance on the palate. Pair it with a glass of chilled homemade yogurt for an utterly satisfying experience. Locals say eating gluten in summer cools the body and relieves heat, while in winter, it pairs perfectly with alcohol to ward off the cold and soothe cravings.

Bayannur gluten—one bite, and you’ll taste its boldness.

Photo/bbbbbaissssbset

Hot, fragrant, and absolutely delicious with a mix of garlic paste.

The North China Plain is the country’s main winter wheat-producing region. In Jingxing County, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, and surrounding areas, a gluten dish with a thousand-year history is no exotic delicacy but a well-known staple, a must-have for every household during the New Year.

This "coarse grain refined" dish involves shredding carrots and radishes, mixing them with chopped scallions and flour, seasoning with Sichuan pepper and star anise powder, then steaming and slicing it. To serve, the sliced gluten is stir-fried over high heat. Just before finishing, a mixture of mashed garlic, salt, and aged vinegar is poured over with a sizzle, followed by a quick toss. The result is a golden, vibrant stir-fried gluten dish.

The texture is as dense as rice cakes, with the tangy aroma of vinegar blending with the sharpness of garlic, evoking elders’ advice: "Live steadily, stay strong." It silently fuels hopes for a new year just as robust and fulfilling.

Southern-Style Gluten: The Versatile "Girl Next Door"

South of the Yangtze River, rice is the staple. The dietary divide between "southern rice and northern wheat" means gluten appears more flexibly on southern tables—as a noodle topping, a soup centerpiece, a meat-stuffed holiday dish, or even a sweet, crispy dessert fried in lard.

Gluten’s "shape-shifting show"—which version is your favorite?

Southerners have mastered gluten’s duality, showcasing its savory and sweet potential, from soups to meat pairings. For them, without gluten, the taste of home feels incomplete.

In spring, the enchanting Yuantouzhu in Wuxi, Jiangsu, offers boundless charm. After admiring cherry blossoms by Taihu Lake, a bowl of vegetarian noodles with gluten at Guangfu Temple completes the lush Jiangnan spring experience.

Guangfu Temple’s vegetarian noodles—gluten with a touch of Zen.

The temple’s famed noodles feature oil gluten as their "soulmate." Toppings include bamboo shoots, mushrooms, and tender gluten balls, served in a rich broth with chewy noodles. A sip of the savory soup, a bite of springy noodles, and a juicy piece of gluten unfold layers of flavor like the waterways of Jiangnan—a nostalgic taste for many Wuxi locals.

Waiting in line for Guangfu Temple’s noodles is also a form of meditation.

Wuxi’s oil gluten, a "Jiangnan specialty," is as lively and charming as the region itself. Round, hollow, golden, and crispy, it’s a versatile staple—simmered in soups, stir-fried, or stuffed with meat. It stays firm yet tender, rich but not greasy, embodying the ingenuity of Jiangnan’s culinary traditions.

Wood ear and oil gluten—crispy outside, chewy inside.

Sweet, soft, and melting in your mouth with every bite.

Yunnan takes gluten creativity to new heights. While others treat it as a staple or side, locals here have unlocked its "divine" potential—as dessert.

In Kunming and Yuxi, a traditional treat called "gluten sachima" stands out. How this Manchu pastry from the Qing Dynasty traveled from the northeast to the southwest remains a mystery, but in Yunnan, it’s been reinvented with local flair.

The green and red shreds on old-fashioned saqima.

This pastry made from gluten presents a glossy, creamy white color with distinct green and red shreds as decoration. Each bite is crispy, moist, and melts in the mouth, with a honey-scented, fine honeycomb-like texture inside.

The making of gluten saqima is inseparable from lard. Gluten is rolled into thin sheets, cut into shreds, fried in lard, and then coated with syrup made from white sugar, maltose, honey, and lard, sprinkled with sesame seeds and green and red shreds before being cut into pieces. Only the rich aroma of lard can breathe life into gluten saqima. Though lard may seem out of step with today's health trends, anyone who tastes gluten saqima will be won over by its sweet, satisfying flavor, unable to resist exclaiming like Hong Kong gourmet Chua Lam: "Long live lard!"

Warm and sweet, the nostalgia in "Half-Moon Sinking in the River."

A bowl of angelica mushroom gluten soup can evoke endless nostalgia among Xiamen locals. Made with water gluten, mushrooms, winter bamboo shoots, and angelica, this soup has no complex flavors. It is light, warm, slightly sweet, and delicately fragrant—everything is just elegantly balanced. The addition of angelica further enhances its nourishing properties, promoting blood circulation and replenishing vitality, making it a gem among vegetarian dishes.

Angelica mushroom gluten soup, "Half-Moon Sinking in the River," carries a wisp of fragrance.

Angelica mushroom gluten soup has a poetic name: "Half-Moon Sinking in the River." In 1962, the renowned poet Guo Moruo visited Nanputuo Temple in Xiamen and tasted vegetarian dishes. When the angelica mushroom gluten soup was served, half a mushroom sank to the bottom of the bowl, resembling a crescent moon. Inspired, Guo improvised a poem on the spot: "I come from Zhoushan, to Putuo and again Putuo. Natural woods and valleys so fine, yet regret too many inscribed names. Half-moon sinks in the river, a thousand peaks fill the eyes. Three cups lead to the great path—what say the Five Elders?" In this poem, "Half-Moon Sinking in the River" perfectly describes this vegetarian dish. Since then, this beautiful name has made the soup, originally a monastic dish, widely celebrated.

The simpler and plainer the food, the more it can accompany us through life's ups and downs, becoming the backdrop of human existence.

Gluten hot and sour soup, the essence of earthly life.

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