Seitan - the Asian way

[susumama]

As seitan has been used for centuries by veg Asians I was wondering if anybody had cooked it the "Asian" way?
Here, in rural Australia, we can't buy pre-prepared seitan (it's very difficult to find in the cities too) so if we want it we must make our own. I've tried a couple of recipes from vegan cookbooks using the "mix then simmer in broth" method & haven't really liked them. But I've eaten the faux meat dishes at Asian Veg restaurants & quite liked them. I was reading a Chinese cookbook at my mum's and it had 'fried wheat gluten' (aka seitan) recipes for meals like "Mock Peking Duck" & "Mock Lemon Chicken". The method was mixing flour & water (& optional flavourings) to a dough then washing, & washing until you are left with the gluten ball, shaping it into a log, slicing it thinly then stir-frying it in oil & then using it in the recipe. No simmering - just straight into the wok to be fried.
Has anyone tried this method? Does it give the chewier texture that you get from Asian veggie restaurant food? And do you think you could skip the washing stage & just use vital wheat gluten to begin with?

[Zevy]

Well, I know you CAN use VWG because I've done it before. I've also BAKED it before rather than boil/simmer it.

A good recipe I've done...you can find it all over the internet and its been modified by lots of people and spices changed. Just good 'seitan of greatness'

he Recipe O' Greatness:

Ingredients:
1.5 cups vital wheat gluten
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 tsp salt
2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cumin
1-2 tsp pepper (I use 2 tsp)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (you can use 1/8 tsp if you like it less spicy)
1/8 tsp allspice
2 tsp garlic powder


3/4 cups water
4 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp tamari
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp vegetarian Worcestershire sauce

Preheat oven to 325°.

In a large mixing bowl mix dry ingredients. Mix the rest of the ingredients (liquid ingredients) in a smaller mixing bowl. Whisk well until mixed.

Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix well, then knead for a minute or two.. it doesn't need long.

Form into a log (6-8" long), wrap tightly in foil, twisting ends. Bake for 90 minutes. When done baking, unwrap and leave out to cool all the way. Then wrap it foil or plastic and refrigerate. Slice to use as desired.

[u]Nutritional Info[/b]
The entire log has:
1134 calories
32g fat
63g carbs
158g protein

[Jugs]

I agree that baked seitan is the way to go. The first few times I made seitan I did the simmer method (on the stove top and in the crockpot), but it had a water-logged texture that just doesn't appeal to me. Baked has a firmer texture. You could either slice or break off chunks to toss in the wok toward the end of cooking (if yo add the seitan first it will soak up too much liquid and get mushy).

[Googy]

The Seitan O'Greatness is my favorite recipe too. Baked is the way to go! The texture is so much better! And you can adjust the flavorings too--I make some Italian-y batches, some Asian-y batches, etc. I make like 4 batches at a time and freeze them so they're made and ready when I need them.

[Jugs]

Sorry to hijack, but do you freeze yours in liquid or anything? I really want to make some to store, but am worried about the consistency getting to spongey.

Oh, I made these a couple of times and they were insane!
http://aveganfordinner.blogspot.com/...ad-period.html

[Googy]

No, I just wrap them in foil and toss all of the "logs" of the same flavor together in a gallon-size freezer bag (I'm sure there's a greener way to do this, but I haven't figured out what it is yet).

This method makes a nice, firm seitan that really holds up to any recipe and can be sliced very thinly. Very different from the gelatinous stuff that you boil in the broth. I'll never go back.

[Baby_Cakes]

We tried the flour washing method once, and it didn't come out that differently than the tried and true boiling method.

I wish I could figure out how restaurants get that texture to their seitan -- that tender, stringy, almost flaky texture that mimics roast beef or pulled pork. Has anyone ever been able to do it?

[susumama]

Babycakes, it's not the washing that is reported to give the better texture, it's the frying or baking rather than boiling that gives the better texture.

Thanks so much for everyone's replies. I will try the Seitan 'o Greatness recipe later this week. After reading the replies I think I'll also try straight up frying as all this talk jolted my memory to when I made the Chickpea Cutlet recipe from Veganomicon. I tried baking them AND also fried some & my kids thought the fried version had the best texture - much 'meatier' & less spongey. And suprisingly not oily. So maybe the Asian method may produce a similar result.

I would have tried it by now except our house has been flooded twice in 2 weeks. Now a total mess, insurance company is replacing all the carpet & the bottom foot of all the walls - ahhhh. We got a year's worth of rain in 2 days. Then some vomiting virus has gone (slowly) from one family member to the other. Hopefully a rainbow is now upon us & I'll let you know how I fare with the recipe & the frying method.

Thanks again ladies!