Ganguo , translated into Spanish as "dry casserole", is a specific way of cooking in China that mainly starts from making flavors similar to the well-known hot pot in a stir-fry devoid of broth. The main idea is to avoid spreading the flavor in a liquid, something that makes it easier for each ingredient to be covered in the chosen spice dressing. The final dish must be very powerful, so it is essential to accompany it with rice to eat it without being excessive.
Traditionally, this recipe is seasoned with a wide variety of spices, but to narrow it down and make it somewhat simpler, we will prepare it with the ingredients that I consider the main ingredients to give it its characteristic flavor:
Doubanjiang : This is a paste of beans and chillies fermented and preserved in a generous amount of salt and oil. It has a powerful flavor and gives dishes a characteristic red color. It is a staple condiment in Chinese gastronomy, especially in the Sichuan region. The Lee Kum Kee brand is sold under the name “chili bean sauce ( toban djan )” and is probably the easiest to find in oriental food stores. A substitute can be a Korean chili paste called gochujang , although it is sweeter, less salty, and contains no oil.
Five Chinese spices: a combination that we have already talked about before. It is a spice blend of cinnamon, star anise, fennel seeds, cloves, and Sichuan pepper. Build a basic flavor and aroma profile in Asian cuisine. It is true that for a ganguo or hot pot even more spices are required -dried orange peel, black cardamom or dried ginger-, but with these, a few chili peppers and bay leaf we do the trick.
Dried Chillies : There is no ganguo without a huge quantity of dried chilies. You should choose a variety that is not particularly spicy, so that, in this way, we extract all its flavor and aroma to incorporate it into the dish without making it inedible (since doubanjiang is already a spicy sauce), but we must bear in mind that spicy is not just a condiment in this gastronomy. It is essential that the chili is dry and not smoked.
This time we will make a completely vegan ganguo , but it is normal to see it with chicken, fish meatballs or seafood. We will use mushrooms, potatoes, peppers, cauliflower, celery and red onion, but you can add any vegetable of your choice (eggplant, sweet potato, broccoli, etc.) or previously fried tofu.
Difficulty
It requires some technique.
Ingredients
For 4 people
For the oil base
- 1 cinnamon stick cut into pieces
- 3 pieces of star anise
- 4 cloves
- 3 bay leaves
- 6 crushed ginger slices
- 100 ml of mild oil (peanut, sunflower, corn, etc.)
For the ganguo
- 1.5 tablespoons doubanjiang
- 1.5 tablespoons soy sauce
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 red onion in pieces
- 150 g cauliflower
- 150 g diced potato
- 50 g of celery
- 50 g of mushrooms (any variety you want, but I recommend dehydrated shitake)
- 1/2 red pepper
- 1/2 yellow bell pepper
- Between 5 and 15 units of dried chili (whole or cut without seeds)
- 1 level tablespoon of Chinese five spices
- 1 teaspoon and a half of ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon and a half sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- A handful of coriander (to taste)
Preparation
As with any Chinese stir fry, the first is to have all the vegetables, spices and sauces ready. The food is always cooked over a very high heat and in a short time. It is important to use a large skillet or wok.
Heat the oil over medium heat and add the spices to build the base of the flavored oil. Stir frequently for 10 minutes until the spices turn dark and the aroma is strong. We withdraw.
Add doubanjiang, potatoes, cauliflower and cumin seeds. Cook until the potato is golden brown and tender.
Increase the heat and add the chilies, mushrooms, garlic, the five Chinese spices, sugar and soy sauce. Stir and cook with the heat on high for about a minute.
Add the onion, peppers and celery and sauté for about 30 seconds or up to a minute.
Remove from the heat and serve with cilantro on top and accompanied by rice.
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