Salad Samurai

Seitan, that clever “meat from wheat” still ushers in questions from newbies: what is it, what do you do with it, and how do you pronounce it? Let it be a mystery no longer! If you can knead dough, you can make say-tan (and it’s easier than making bread).

These rustic cutlets are the easiest version of the ultra-simple steamed seitan I’ve been making for years, but you can also bake them for a dense, chewy texture. Either way, just mix, wrap, and cook for a succulent, handmade veggie protein that loves marinades and is great on the grill for a “meaty” salad topping. Note: I’ve provided the option of grating the garlic with a microplane grater; if you prefer your garlic flavor evenly distributed throughout the seitan (rather than tasting flecks of garlic), please try this method!

1 In a 1-quart glass measuring cup or bowl, whisk together the vegetable broth, garlic, soy sauce, and olive oil. In a separate bowl, stir together the vital wheat gluten flour, nutritional yeast, chickpea flour, and cumin. Form a well in the center and pour in the broth mixture.

2 Stir with a rubber spatula; when all of the broth has been absorbed and the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, use both hands and knead the dough for a minute. For the best texture results, knead the dough in one direction, using a folding and pressing motion with your palms. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes and then slice it into four equal pieces.

3 Tear off four 10-inch-long pieces of aluminum foil. In the center of each piece of foil, pat each piece of dough into a thin oval less than ½ inch thick. Now seal each packet for steaming: bring the long edges of the foil together and fold together with a seam about ¼ inch wide, then fold another seam, and press together to tightly seal; there should be some space between this little foil tent and the seitan inside. Tightly crimp the opposite ends; the result should be a loose foil pouch with tightly sealed seams. The seitan will expand as it steams, so make sure you have some room left over in the foil pouch! Repeat with the remaining seitan portions.

4 Set up your steamer and steam the seitan for 25 minutes. Take care that the seitan does not touch the water. The loaves will expand and feel firm when done; if not, continue to steam for another 5 minutes. Remove the seitan from the steamer, don’t unwrap yet, and cool on the kitchen counter for 20 minutes before using. For best flavor and texture, cool the seitan to room temperature, then chill overnight. Store chilled in a tightly covered container and consume within 7 days for best flavor. If desired, wrap and freeze the seitan and use within 2 months; to defrost, leave it in the refrigerator overnight.

5 Alternatively, you can bake the seitan in a preheated 350°F oven for 30 minutes. Make sure to leave room in the foil pouches even if you’re baking the seitan; it will expand during baking too! Cool and store as directed.

This seitan is modestly seasoned and designed to harmonize with marinades and zesty dressings. For a flavored seitan, stir into the liquid ingredients 1 to 2 teaspoons of tomato paste or dried herbs such as thyme, oregano, or any blend.

Chickpea flour makes an appearance here; this dense, golden flour is made from ground chickpeas and adds rich umami flavor to seitan. Find it in natural food stores, or wherever gluten-free baking ingredients are sold.