If you’ve ever eaten “mock duck” or “mock chicken” in a restaurant, you’ve had seitan (pronounced SAY-tan). This tasty meat substitute made from wheat gluten originated in China more than a thousand years ago; the word seitan, though, is of Japanese derivation and only started being used in the 1960s. Seitan has a uniquely chewy texture, absorbs flavors extremely well, and can be roasted, panfried, breaded, or even grilled or broiled.
Look for seitan (sometimes labeled “wheatmeat”) in the refrigerated section of natural food stores, and most is of acceptable quality. But it can be expensive and is tough to find whole; it’s usually cut into small chunks and packaged in its simmering liquid.
Making seitan yourself is far cheaper, and allows you to control the seasonings and size of the pieces. All you need is one ingredient: vital wheat gluten flour, also called vital wheat gluten. It’s a concentrated high-protein flour that’s available in many stores; Bob’s Red Mill is the most common brand.
Vital wheat gluten flour is slightly yellow and very fine, almost powdery. It’s made after the starch, ash, and other components of wheat flour have been separated and washed away; it is more than 75 percent protein. When mixed with water, it becomes instantly elastic and rubbery.
Making seitan is a multistep process: Once you’ve mixed the dough, seitan must be simmered before you can cook with it. You shape the dough into free-form loaves, flavor a little water or stock, and let the seitan gently bubble away in it for an hour or so. As it cooks, the gluten absorbs the liquid and flavor while the loaves triple in size.
Simmering also affects the texture of the seitan. If you prefer a dense texture, turn off the heat after an hour or so. Let it simmer a little longer if you like a lighter, spongier texture. (To check, cut a sliver from a loaf during cooking and taste.) Once the loaves are done, let them cool in the cooking liquid. At that point, you’ve got several options: You can slice and use the seitan; refrigerate it in the cooking liquid for up to several days; or freeze it in the cooking liquid for up to several months.
Seitan can stand in for tofu in any stir-fry or braised dish; just use equal quantities of seitan and follow the directions as usual.