Basic Seitan Baked Food

EASY HOMEMADE SEITAN RECIPE

Steps:

• Combine the soy sauce with 1 cup of water in a small mixing bowl and stir together.
• Combine the gluten flour, baking powder, and optional nutritional yeast and/or seasoning blend in a medium mixing bowl.
• Gradually add the liquid to form a stiff dough, stirring with a spoon at first, and then working together with your hands. Drizzle in a little more water if need be; you want all the dry ingredients to be moistened, while making sure the dough remains stiff.
• Turn out onto a floured board (you can use additional gluten flour for this) and knead for 2 to 3 minutes. It's not going to be completely smooth, but really work it!
• Return the dough to one of the bowls you used, then cover with a clean tea towel. Let it rest for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, fill a soup pot about 2/3 full with water. Add the bouillon cubes and ginger. Start heating.
• Once the dough has rested, divide it into two more or less equal pieces and pull into long, narrow loaves the shape of miniature French breads. This dough isn't easy to work with; it tends to spring back to whatever shape it's in, but do the best you can - it will come out fine.
• With a sharp, serrated knife, cut each section of dough crosswise into slices no thicker than 1/2 inch.
• When the water comes to a slow boil, gently drop in each slice of dough. Within a couple of minutes, the dough is going to puff up and look like it's threatening to escape the cooking pot! It will settle back; keep pushing the pieces down into the water. I like to reach in with kitchen sheers and cut pieces that have expanded crazily, but this is optional.
• Simmer gently and steadily for 30 minutes. Scoop out pieces of seitan to use in recipes (usually about a third to a half of the amount made with this recipe is what you'll need for an average recipe). Set on a plate or cutting board until cool enough to handle, then cut into smaller slices or chunks.

BASIC SEITAN - WHEAT MEAT (VEGAN MEAT SUBSTITUTE)

Steps:

• Stir vital wheat gluten, nutritional yeast, 1/2 cup vegetable broth, liquid amino acid, olive oil, and garlic in a bowl until ingredients come together into a ball. Knead ball until dough has a rubbery texture. Divide dough into 3 equal pieces and shape into 1/2-inch thick patties.
• Bring 4 cups vegetable broth, water, and tamari to a boil in a large pot. Carefully place patties into boiling broth; cover pot and return to a boil. Set lid slightly askew to vent steam and reduce heat to low. Continue simmering patties until firm, turning patties occasionally, about 1 hour. Remove pot from heat and set lid aside. Allow patties to cool in broth for 15 minutes before serving.

THE QUICKEST & EASIEST SEITAN RECIPE!! (VEGAN CHICKEN!)

Steps:

• Add about an inch of water to a pot with a steamer basket and bring to a light boil.
• In the meantime, whisk together the vital wheat gluten, flour, vegetable broth powder, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Pour in the water and mix to form a ball of dough. Lightly grease the steamer basket, then tear off bite-sized pieces of the seitan dough and place them in a single layer in the steamer basket. Cover, and steam the seitan for 10 minutes.
• In the meantime, in a small bowl or a measuring glass, mix together the Thai sweet chili sauce, hoisin, soy sauce, water, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. Set aside. (See notes for other sauce options).
• When the seitan is done steaming, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet or non-stick pan. Use tongs to remove the seitan bites from the steamer basket, and place them into the hot oil in the pan. Be careful as it may splatter. Cook the seitan bites a few minutes per side until they are golden brown and crispy. Remove from the heat and add the sauce and toss to coat. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds if desired and serve hot.

EASY SEITAN 'CHICKEN'

Steps:

• In a blender or food processor, whizz all the ingredients except the vital wheat gluten, until smooth.
• Pour the mixture into a large bowl. Add the vital wheat gluten and stir with a wooden spoon until it forms a wet dough.
• Knead for about 7 minutes. It is ready once the dough appears drier, has defined strands, and bounces back when stretched.
• Set a steamer basket over a pan of simmering water.
• Divide the dough in half and shape into logs. Roll each log tightly, first in non-stick baking paper, followed by foil. Twist the ends to seal it tight, like a sweet wrapper.
• Steam the seitan for 30 minutes, then remove from the steamer and leave to cool for 30 minutes (I find it firms up as it cools). Tear into chunks and add to any dish that traditionally uses chicken (like 'Butter Chicken'). Alternatively, cool completely and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.

BASIC SEITAN (BAKED)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Line an 8 inch square baking pan with two inch high sides with parchment paper. Lightly oil the parchment paper.
• Stir the flours, nutritional yeast, herbs, spices and salt in a largew bowl.
• Combine the water, oil and tamari in another bowl.
• Quickly stir the wet ingredients into the dry to make a very wet dough. It may seem like there is too much liquid, but it will all mix in with enough stirring.
• Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and smooth the top. Cover with tin foil.
• Place the pan of seitan dough in a larger roasting pan, then add water halfway up the side of the seitan pan.
• Bake for 2 hours until the seitan in firm on the top, adding more water to the pan as necessary.
• Cool to room temperature, cut and use or wrap to freeze. Unfrozen seitan will stay good for two days in the refridgerator.

EASY BAKED SEITAN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir.
• Once all the dry ingredients are mixed in, knead the dough with your hands for several minutes until thoroughly mixed.
• Then, roll the dough into a log and cut it into 1/2 inch slices.
• Place each of the slices on a lightly greased baking sheet and spread the dough with your fingers to thin them. Bake on a low oven rack for 10 minutes.
• Flip the seitan strips and bake on the other side for five minutes.
• Once finished, dip them in ketchup or BBQ sauce, stuff them in a pita pocket as a sandwich, toss them into tacos or fajitas, or add them to your favorite salad or pasta. You can do almost anything with the as you would chicken strips.