Seitan from scratch / wheat gluten question
So I have bought the pre-made seitan and the little chunks and brown broth vaguely reminded me of canned dog food. Ick. So I bought a mix and made it from a mix a few weeks ago and it was really good! I decided this time I would just make it from scratch. However, the recipe calls for "vital wheat gluten." I went to Whole Foods and the only thing I could find is "wheat gluten flour". Is this the same thing? If not, where can I find "vital wheat gluten" (section of the store/what does it look like) and what can I do with this "wheat gluten flour" that I now have a pound of?
Has anyone else ever made seitan and if so what did you use?
Thanks!
Bob's Red Mill makes vital wheat gluten. I have never bought but I think it has a recipe for making seitan on the side of it. I found it at Earthfare with all the other strange flours. I doubt that the wheat gluten flour is the same but I don't know.
I make my own seitan all the time and I agree--it is SO much better. I use the "wheat gluten flour" by arrowhead mills, in the blue box. So, I think you are ok with what you have. It IS possible make wheat gluten out of regular flour, but it is a giant pain--you have to sit and wash the flour for hours and hours. Much easier with the wheat gluten flour.
There is a recipe on the side of the box, but I use the one from Isa Moskovitz's Vegan with a Vengeance. I also do it in the food processor, to speed the whole thing up--just include everything at once and whiz it up. Here is the recipe:
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups vital wheat gluten flour
1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1 cup very cold water or vegetable broth
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, pressed or grated on a microplane grater
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Simmering Broth
10 cups water or vegetable broth
1/2 cup soy sauce
Directions
In a large bowl, mix together Vital Wheat Gluten Flour and
nutritional yeast flakes.
In a separate bowl, mix together remaining ingredients:
water or veg broth, soy sauce, tomato paste, garlic, lemon zest.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and combine with a
firm spatula, knead dough for about 3 minutes until a spongy, elastic dough is
formed. Let dough rest for a couple of minutes and prepare your broth, but
don't start boiling it.
Now roll your dough into a log shape about 8 inches long and
cut into 3 equal sized pieces. Place the pieces in the broth. It is important
that the water/broth be very cold when you add the dough, it helps with the
texture and ensures that it doesn't fall apart. Partially cover the pot (leave
a little space for steam to escape) and bring to a boil.
When the water has come to a boil set the heat to low and
gently simmer for an hour, turning the pieces every now and again.
Let it cool in the simmering broth for at least a half an
hour. It is best if it cools completely. If you want to store some of it for
later use put it in a sealable container covered in the simmering broth.
Great! Thanks lookready!
yes, whole foods' wheat gluten flour is the same. i've used it in seitan recipes with no problem.
lookready- i just made some of isa's seitan, it tastes amazing; mine is kind of gummy and falling apart though, i may have used to much water. the good old frying pan fixed that though.
i was also wondering if seitan is a complete protein like tofu?
No, it's not complete. It is just wheat protein.
As a side note, I made some seitan a couple of days ago. You can mix in just about any spice or ingredient for flavoring. You can also bake it to give a firmer texture (when it boils it swells up and gets kind of gummy). I used this recipe, substituting vegetarian beef b roth for the water, and it was fabulous:
http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2007/05/barbecue d-seitan-ribz.html
