Seitan is a delicious vegetable meat that is made with wheat gluten. Find out what it is and what it consists of, and how to make it at home.
Among the different meat substitutes, especially if you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, or if you simply want to eliminate it from your diet, we can find different much more natural options that provide us with interesting benefits and nutritional properties, in addition to vegetable proteins that They stand out precisely because they are easier for our body to assimilate than animal proteins.
One of these foods is seitan, a delicious food that can become, in fact, and a delicious alternative to animal meat, not only for its nutritional qualities, but for its flavor and texture (which is very reminiscent of it). For this reason it is also known as vegetable meat, since its appearance is very reminiscent of animal meat when it is cooked. In addition, in the kitchen it is a very versatile natural product, since it can be made in many different ways: stewed, breaded, battered, grilled, fried.
Seitan is a product of natural origin, which is made from wheat flour (durum, Kamut or spelled), particularly wheat gluten. In addition, it is made with tamari, Kombu seaweed and ginger.
Although it is based on traditional gluten preparations from both China and Japan (in this country for example there is a similar product known by the name of Fu, although it is made roasted, steamed and dried), it is considered as a recipe or modern dish of macrobiotic, vegan and vegetarian cuisine.
It actually becomes one of the most popular vegan and vegetarian preparations, along with tofu.
At present it is possible to buy it easily in herbalists and in vegetarian product stores, under different presentations. The most common is to find it in the form of fluffy balls, which have a firm texture and a brown color.
Quick seitan recipe.
Ingredients:
- 500 gr. wheat gluten.
- 1 liter of cold water.
- 1/2 of soy sauce.
- 2 strips of kombu seaweed.
- 1 clove garlic.
Preparation of the seitan:
- In a saucepan put the wheat gluten first. Now add a little water until you get a homogeneous mixture but it doesn’t stick to your hands.
- Form a ball, and divide it into 4 equal parts.
- Peel the garlic clove and leave it whole.
- In a saucepan put the liter of cold water, the garlic clove (without splitting), the soy sauce and the Kombu
- Bring the water to a boil. When it starts to boil, add the pieces of gluten. Leave over medium heat for 45 to 50 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Leave the pot covered until the recipe is cold.
- Ready!
