Best Homemade Seitan Food

BEST HOMEMADE SEITAN

Steps:

• Combine the vital wheat gluten flour and nutritional yeast flakes in a bowl; set aside. In a separate bowl, mix the vegetable stock, 1/2 cup of soy sauce, tomato paste, garlic, lemon zest, and seasoning blend.
• Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and stir with a firm spatula. Knead the dough until a spongy, elastic dough forms, about 3 minutes. Roll the dough into a log shape and cut it into 3 equal pieces.
• Combine 1/2 cup of soy sauce and cold water in a large pot. The simmering broth should be very cold when you add the dough to help it keep a firm texture and ensure that it doesn't break apart. Place the dough pieces in the cold broth, partially cover the pot, and bring it to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, partially cover the pot, and simmer for 1 hour, turning the dough pieces occasionally.
• Remove the pot from the heat and let the gluten cool in the broth for at least 30 minutes. To store the gluten, refrigerate, covered in the broth, in a sealed container for up to 5 days.
• If your recipe calls for seitan, cut the gluten into pieces. Add vegetable oil to a heavy skillet and turn the heat to medium-high. Add the gluten pieces and cook for 20 minutes, turning the pieces occasionally.

HOMEMADE SEITAN

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine first six ingredients. Stir in water until combined.
• Knead dough for 5 minutes (you can do this in the bowl. No extra flour is necessary, as this stuff won't really stick).
• Chop dough into 1-inch pieces (I tore off sections, rolled them into a log, and chopped it from there). Allow pieces to rest for a few minutes.
• Heat broth over stove to a simmer. Add dough pieces one at a time. Cook uncovered for 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to keep them from sticking. The seitan will swell up, so you can add a little extra water or broth to keep them covered.
• Remove from heat. Drain and fry the seitan with a little olive oil on a pan for a few minutes. Set aside until ready to use.
• If storing, put seitan in air-tight container with enough broth to cover the pieces. Freeze.

SEITAN

Steps:

• Blitz the tofu, soy milk, miso, Marmite, onion powder, garlic powder, 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp white pepper in a food processor until smooth.
• Tip into a bowl and add the wheat gluten and pea protein or protein powder. Mix to form a dough. Once the dough has come together, give it a really good knead, stretching and tearing for 10-15 mins. It will be ready once the dough feels springy.
• Pour the vegetable stock into a pan. Bring to a simmer. Flatten out the seitan to a thickness of 1cm and chop into chicken-breast-sized chunks. Simmer these in the stock for 20 mins, covered with a lid, then allow to cool in the stock. Ideally, do this the day before and leave to chill in the fridge. The seitan chunks can also be frozen if you wish. When you're ready to use the seitan in a recipe, pat it dry with kitchen paper then chop or tear into smaller pieces before cooking, if you like.

HOW TO MAKE SEITAN (BEEF FLAVOR)

Steps:

• Combine the dry ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer. I used my Kitchen Aid and it worked perfectly.
• Using the paddle attachment on the mixer slowly combine the dry ingredients.
• In a smaller bowl combine the wet ingredients and mix well with a whisk.
• Stop the stand mixer and add the wet ingredients to the dry all at once and slowly incorporate the wet into the dry.
• I added about 4 more tablespoons of spelt flour to the mix as I thought it was too wet. Mix for 5 minutes.
• After 5 minutes turn the dough out onto a cutting board and form it into a loaf shape and let it sit until broth comes to a boil. Turn the heat down to low at this point.
• Cut the loaf into 6 equal pieces and lower each one gently into the simmering broth and let it simmer covered for about 1 hour. Remember DO NOT LET THIS BOIL! It will create holes in your Seitan.
• The Seitan will be spongy and holes will make it even more so. You want to avoid that.
• After the hour is up remove the Seitan from the pot and place on a dish to cool. If you have room in the fridge this would be a good place to cool it down.
• Remember, it has to be thoroughly cooled before its ready. Don't be temped to dig in until it's cold.
• You can use this immediately, or store it in it's broth in the fridge for about 5 days. You can even put the big chunks in a zip lock bag and freeze.
• The Seitan can be used in place of any meat product, you can even grind it in the food processor and use it for burger if you wish.
• Another way to use this is to take a few big pieces and dip in flour, soy milk and bread crumbs and fry or bake it, then top with your favorite gravy.
• Bon Appetit!