What is Seitan?
Seitan, or wheat meat, is a very versatile mock vegan meat which actually looks and tastes pretty like meat. Which meat depends on the seasonings you use in it but can be pretty much anything from roasts to ribs. Like I said… versatile!
Its made by using vital wheat gluten flour to make a dough. You then cook the dough in a variety of ways depending on the end result you want to achieve. Its packed full of protein, though not considered complete protein due to low levels of the amino acid lysine. You can add blended chickpeas or beans to your mix to counter that. It does contain fairly decent levels of iron, is very low calorie, fat and carbohydrate and has ZERO cholesterol.
Is it Gluten Free?
It goes without saying if you’re gluten intolerant its a no no and since consuming high levels of gluten can kick off allergies then its definitely not something to eat every day.
That said, its great for new or transitioning vegans to cook something that resembles meat, looks and tastes delicious, is guaranteed to please vegans and meat eaters alike and will leave everyone completely full and wishing they’d worn elasticated pants!
How do I cook Seitan?
There are many ways to cook it depending on what kind of result you want. This article gives you a good overview.
Seitan can be a bit tricky and recipes don’t always seem to turn out so great. The high hopes and excitement you start out with can soon turn to disappointment, wasted ingredients and an unappetising lump of goo in your bin. No-one wants that! In the recipes section you will find tried and tested recipes so you can go straight to the good stuff.
Recommended Recipe Books & Resources
If you prefer a recipe book, The Gentle Chef’s Seitan & Beyond is a great resource, he doesn’t have photos in the book itself but you can find the pics on his website here. It’s pretty much the Seitan lovers bible. Talking of Seitan lovers, another great resource is The Seitan Appreciation Society group on Facebook. You will find recipes there, see what other people are making and always find someone ready to answer any questions you may have.
For more instant gratification pop over to youtube and check out Avanteguard Vegan, BoshTV and Connie’s Rawsome Kitchen who all have some great Seitan recipes.
Where to buy Seitan?
If you can’t find any vital wheat gluten flour in grocers locally then have a look online, I usually buy mine from www.wholefoodsonline.co.uk but if you’re not in the UK then I would suggest looking on Amazon.
Go forth, good luck and keep me informed!
I’ll be in the kitchen with a Seitan ham and mustard sandwich (as featured in the free Holiday Recipes ebook by The Gentle Chef, downloadable here). oh happy day 🙂
