Pamela Lalik of Wingbean makes seitan in large batches at the Blue Ridge Food Ventures test kitchen, where she prepares meals for home delivery. For home cooks working on a smaller scale, seitan is easy to make with just a sink and an oven, and it’s easy to customize to fit a particular diet (although it’s not gluten-free). “It can be as low in fat as you want it,” Lalik says. “I like to put a little oil in there for texture.”
Seitan starts with wheat gluten, which looks like flour and is easy to find at natural food stores. It’s often in the bulk section, or try the dry goods aisle (Bob’s Red Mill brand makes it). Lalik blends the gluten with other flours for flavor and texture, but that step is optional. Make a dough from the flour using your liquid of choice. Then, knead it, cut it into strips, and bake it in hot water.
For more detailed instructions, check out this recipe from Vegetarian Times magazine: vegetariantimes.com/recipe/homemade-seitan/.
Before you comment
The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.