RECIPE: wheat gluten (aka seitan, fu, wheat meat)

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Some of you have probably seen wheat gluten at health food stores (also called

'seitan' or sometimes 'fu') and some of you have eaten it at Asian restaurants.

It's a meat substitute and high protein food.

 

Wheat gluten can be pretty pricey when you buy it premade. I have also found

premade varieties to be too tough. So, I make my own. It is very easy and also

fun.

 

Ingredients:

 

Vital Wheat Gluten- Also sometimes labeled " Gluten flour. " You can buy this in

the bulk aisle of health food stores, or in the baking supplies or health food

supplies at regular grocery stores. It's cheaper to get it in bulk. Do not

mistake this for " High Gluten Flour " or " High-gluten Bread Flour! " Read labels

carefully.

 

Broth:

 

Water or vegetable broth, soy sauce

 

Simmerings: fresh garlic, raw ginger, kombu, assorted spices.

 

Optional: milk or soy milk.

 

In a large bowl, place one cup of the wheat gluten. At this time, you may add

pepper or other finely ground spices. Add almost one cup of liquid broth. (I

use a mixture of soy sauce, vegetable broth or boullion. Some people say that

adding milk gives better texture. Tonight I added some goat's milk that we had

around the house.)

 

Regarding spices: adding spices to your broth and to the gluten dough will

increase its flavor. If you want the gluten for tacos, add traditional Mexican

spices like cumin, chili powder, etc. If you want an Italian flavor, add

rosemary, basil, etc. Ginger and garlic should always be added- they enhance

the flavor. I'm a garlic lover so I throw several cloves into the broth.

 

Mix the gluten and the liquid, adding one or the other if necessary, until a

rubbery dough is formed. It should be very thick and somewhat tough. Knead

this dough approximately forever. Kneading develops the gluten; the more

you knead, the better texture you will have. I usually divide the dough into

smaller balls and knead them while watching a movie. They are just like stress

management balls The longer you knead, the better- give it an hour of good

tough kneading.

 

Roll the gluten out flat, or else form it into a tube. Cut the flat into strips

or the tube into slices. Simmer these slices in the broth, along with a piece

of kombu, some cloves of garlic, and some fresh sliced ginger, for about an

hour. The seitan will expand, so use a large pot- they will double or triple in

size.

 

Be sure to keep an eye on the pot- it should simmer, not boil. Boiling makes

the seitan more spongy; it's still edible, but the texture isn't quite as nice.

If you get spongy seitan, you can eat it as is, or chop it finely for chili or

some such.

 

Any questions? Ask away!

 

 

 

 

 

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