Claypot dish: Winter's delight

• 1/2 cup winter shiitake mushrooms (coarsely sliced)
• 1/2 cup winter bamboo shoots ( shelled and coarsely chopped)
• 1/4 cup dried citron daylily ( revived in hot water)
• 1/4 cup dried wood-ear fungi ( revived by cooking in hot water)
• 1 cup fresh wheat gluten ( Kao-fu 烤麸)， (cut in cubes)
• 1/2 cup carrots (sliced)
• green onions ( chopped)
• 6 star anise
• 1 tbls fresh ginger ( minced)
• 2 tbls shallot (minced)
• 4 tbls Shao-xing rice wine
• 4 tbls soy sauce
• 2 tbls sugar
• 1 tsp Zhen-jiang rice vinegar
• cooking oil
• sesame oil

1. add oil to the wok over median heat, add ginger, shallot, and star anise, fry for 2 minutes
2. add mushrooms to the wok, add 2 tbls rice wine, stir and cook for 1 minute
3. add bamboo shoots, add 2 tbls soy sauce and 1tbls sugar, cook for 2 minutes
4. add carrots, gluten cubes, add 2 tbls soy sauce, 2 tbls rice wine, stir and cook for 5 minutes
5. add wood-ear and citron daylily, add 1 tsp rice vinegar and 1tbls sugar, stir well
6. cover the wok or move the mixture to a clay pot with cover, turn down the heat to simmer for 15 minutes
7. sprinkle green onions and a few drops of dark sesame oil and serve hot