Thursday 14 January 2016

Homemade Seitan Recipe: High Protein, Vegan

There is a lot of controversy about gluten these days. Gluten-free has become a popular marketing term and a "gluten-free" chocolate cake somehow seems to be a bit more ok than the non gluten-free version! If you suffer from gluten intolerance, then I would certainly avoid this, but for those who don't I see gluten as a very good protein source, especially if you are vegan.

Seitan, sometimes know as wheat protein, is very popular in the East. It is basically whole-wheat flour without the starch, leaving just the wheat gluten. Most of the veggie meat substitutes are made from wheat protein, but have a lot of sodium and other extra things added in for "flavouring" which alters the nutritional content of this food. Homemade seitan is super easy, very cheap and you can choose what flavours you want to add.

Nutritionally, this Seitan recipe has 28g of protein per 30g serve and 1g fat. I do not add salt in but I cook the seitan with dulse or kombu seaweed for it's iodine content and flavour. Miso also works well. 

Seitan keeps in the fridge for a week. You can use in stews, stir frys, anything really. It definitely has a meaty texture so makes a good meat substitute.

HOMEMADE SEITAN RECIPE:

Dough
  • 6 cups Whole Wheat Flour
  • 2-3 cups Cold Water (add slowly)
Broth
  • 4 cups Water
  • ½ chopped Onion
  • 1 Tbs. Miso Paste
  • couple strips kombu
  • 2 cloves Garlic
  • pinch of turmeric
  • black pepper
Instructions
  1. Combine flour and water. Mix until a stiff-but-cohesive dough is formed.
  2. Form dough into a ball, place in a bowl, and cover with cold water. Cover and let stand 4-8 hours.
  3. Knead the dough and rinse until water runs clear, about 10 minutes. Squeeze dough and press out as much liquid and air as possible. Use a sharp knife or a bench scraper to cut the gluten into bite-sized pieces.
  4. Combine ingredients for broth (or use your preferred vegetable stock) and bring to a boil. Drop gluten pieces into boiling broth and return to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Cook, turning gluten pieces occasionally, until the broth is mostly absorbed and reduced, about 30 minutes. Discard onion.
  5. To use seitan right away, drain. To store, cover with broth and keep refrigerated up to a week, or frozen. Thicken and reduce broth as a gravy if desired.

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