{"id":37700,"date":"2023-03-16T07:00:35","date_gmt":"2023-03-16T14:00:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iamafoodblog.com\/?p=37700"},"modified":"2023-03-16T06:44:05","modified_gmt":"2023-03-16T13:44:05","slug":"seitan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iamafoodblog.com\/seitan\/","title":{"rendered":"The Ultimate Guide to Seitan"},"content":{"rendered":"

Seitan is a super versatile vegan protein made from vital wheat gluten. It’s what’s used to make vegan chicken, aka fake chicken, and doesn’t that lead image look just like chicken?<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re vegan, or maybe even if you\u2019re not but you\u2019ve been peeping on viral cooking Tiktoks, I\u2019m sure you\u2019ve heard of seitan. These days, many people call it fake chicken because it’s made from flour.<\/p>\n

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However, even though it’s made from wheat, it’s nothing like bread. When it\u2019s cooked it looks and acts like meat! It\u2019s high in protein which makes it the perfect vegan meat alternative. Like meat, seitan can be prepared multiple ways: boiled, baked, deep-fried, pan fried, sliced, crumbled, or shredded. Like tofu it can take on SO many flavors and is extremely versatile.<\/p>\n

What is seitan?<\/h2>\n

Seitan is wheat gluten. Essentially, it\u2019s food made from gluten, the protein found in wheat. The commonly used name, seitan, is Japanese (\u30bb\u30a4\u30bf\u30f3) which implies that it was invented in Japan, but wheat gluten first appeared in China in the 6th century.<\/p>\n

It’s an incredibly popular ingredient in Asian and Southeast Asian countries as a vegan alternative to meat because of its chewiness that\u2019s reminiscent of the texture of meat.<\/p>\n

You can buy it at health food grocery stores or Whole Foods, but even better, it\u2019s really easy to make at home! You can make it one of two ways: either by using whole flour and washing it or by using vital wheat gluten.<\/p>\n

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How to make seitan<\/h2>\n
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  1. Make the dough:<\/strong> Mix together 1 cup vital wheat gluten with 1\/4 cup chickpea flour<\/a>. Add some seasonings and stir in 1 cup of water or vegetable broth.<\/li>\n
  2. Knead the dough:<\/strong> Knead the dough for 5-10 minutes so it develops strands of gluten – this is what gives seitan its meaty texture. The more you knead, the more chewy it’ll be. Conversely, the less you knead, the more tender, so adjust according to what you like. I like to use a stand mixer.<\/li>\n
  3. Let it rest:<\/strong> Let the dough rest, covered for about 5 minutes so the gluten can relax.<\/li>\n
  4. Simmer:<\/strong> Cut the dough into 4 (or more pieces), shape and simmer on low in a flavorful broth.<\/li>\n
  5. Use it in recipes:<\/strong> Your seitan is cooked and ready to eat! You can eat it as is, or use it in recipes where you would use meat.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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    Seitan ingredients<\/h2>\n

    All you need is vital wheat gluten and water.<\/p>\n

    Where is it from?<\/h2>\n

    Seitan was first invented as a meat alternative for Chinese Buddhist monks because one of the key tenets of Buddhism is strict vegetarianism. There\u2019s a huge amount of Chinese vegetarian food that looks just like regular Chinese food but is made with seitan. Nowadays it’s popular all over the world for vegans and vegetarians.<\/p>\n

    How is seitan used?<\/h2>\n

    Seitan is used like most meat and meat alternative products. You can use it anywhere meat is used! It can be shredded and crumbled, sliced, and made into sausages or nuggets. Anything meat can do, it can do too.<\/p>\n

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    What does seitan taste like?<\/h2>\n

    Seitan on its own doesn\u2019t taste like much – it\u2019s very mild, a little bit savory and kind of bland. It’s more about texture rather than its taste. Texturally, it’s ultra meaty and can take on any flavor. You can season it to taste like meat, but most people use it as a blank slate which then can be seasoned when you cook it in recipes.<\/p>\n

    What is seitan made of?<\/h2>\n

    Seitan is made from wheat gluten, the protein found in wheat.<\/p>\n

    The easy way to make seitan<\/h2>\n

    The key to making seitan at home is vital wheat gluten! It used to be a difficult thing to make but now that vital wheat gluten is widely available<\/a>, it\u2019s the easiest meat alternative you can make at home.<\/p>\n

    What is vital wheat gluten?<\/h2>\n

    Vital wheat gluten is the extracted form of protein found in wheat. It\u2019s what helps make bread bouncy, squishy, and elastic. When you isolate the gluten protein in wheat, you end up vital wheat gluten, which, when mixed with water and kneaded a little, has a dense meat-like texture.<\/p>\n

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    Optional: Adding a bit of an alternative type of flour gives you a softer texture. Using just gluten can yield an end product that’s a bit tougher than some people like. That\u2019s why when you look at the ingredients of on a commercial package of this stuff, you\u2019ll often see soy protein. You can use any alternative flour you like, I like chickpea or soy flour. If you don\u2019t have chickpea flour<\/a> but you have dried chickpeas, you can make chickpea flour at home by using a blender or food processor to grind dried chickpeas until they are fine and powdery.<\/p>\n

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    Washed flour seitan aka Tiktok seitan<\/h2>\n

    Washed flour seitan is what\u2019s going viral on Tiktok and while it definitely works, it\u2019s a LOT more work than using vital wheat gluten. It can take hours.<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Here\u2019s how you do it:<\/p>\n

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    1. Mix 3 parts flour<\/strong> with 1 part water and knead. Place the ball of dough in a bowl of cool water. Wash the dough by kneading and stretching.<\/li>\n
    2. Discard the water<\/strong>, add new water and keep washing, discarding and adding new water, until the water becomes more or less just touch cloudy and your dough is stringy.<\/li>\n
    3. Let the dough rest<\/strong> in a colander for 20 minutes then shape and cook the same as seitan made from vital wheat gluten.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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      How to cook seitan<\/h2>\n

      Just like meat, there are tons of ways you can cook seitan. I like to simmer it so that the flavor of the stock permeates and flavors the inside. My favorite way to finish it is to rip it into pieces then pan fry after it\u2019s been simmered.<\/p>\n

      Steam: steaming creates a fluffy rise that has bubbles and aeration of the gluten. It\u2019s more dense than simmered seitan and not as juicy – it\u2019s good for searing or stir frying. Steaming is also slightly quicker than simmering.<\/p>\n

      Simmer: Simmering gives you a fluffy rise and lots of aeration of the gluten. It also has the added bonus of adding flavor to the seitan because you can season your broth. When you\u2019re simmering, be careful not to let it come to a boil because it will get overly puffy and lose the meaty texture you\u2019re looking for.<\/p>\n

      Deep fry: Deep frying gives you golden puffs that are airy and have a smooth texture when you cook it again. Pictured below.<\/p>\n

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      Where to buy it<\/h2>\n

      If you\u2019re wondering where is seitan at the grocery store, it\u2019s in the fridge section! You\u2019ll find it next to the tofu. Sometimes you may need to go to the local Asian grocery store, where it\u2019ll be in the frozen section as well.<\/p>\n

      How to store<\/h2>\n

      Store it wrapped, in a sealed container in the fridge for up to one week.<\/p>\n

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      Is it healthy?<\/h2>\n

      It’s an excellent source of lean protein and is a great meat substitute. It\u2019s low in saturated fat and carbs. That being said, if you\u2019re sensitive to gluten or are celiac, you\u2019re better off eating tofu because seitan is made from vital wheat gluten.<\/p>\n

      Hopefully this answers some of your questions about seitan and inspires you to try making it at home! If you\u2019re looking for meat alternatives that aren\u2019t tofu, this is a great choice.<\/strong><\/p>\n

      Seitan recipes<\/h2>\n