all i want is seitan

<------- i got lazy, here's a picture of SOMEONE ELSE's seitan, this is the beauty before it's made

Perhaps you don't naturally have an affinity for spongey meat substitutes? Just wait for seitan! (say ˈseɪtæn..like say-ten..or SATAN shhh.) For all practical purposes, the substance is gluten, and it's very easy to make.

You might have seen our delightful friend pop-up in dishes where you may have thought duck or pork was the main protein (happy swine flu!) If you're on a vegetarian streak..or just want to try a tasty treat, seitan makes a yummy addition to stews or stir frys.

What I did (for love??):

mix 1 cup wheat gluten with about 3/4 cup water

knead for 5-10 minutes until uniform and elastic

roll into a 2" log..cut into slices and boil in a broth

after the mixture comes to a boil, simmer for about an hour

optional: flavah your seitan with soy sauce, spices, etc. right in the doughy mixture

wrap in foil to create optimal loggy shape

broth of choice! i used miso paste..about 1 tbsp per cup

don't be alarmed if the seitan absorbs a lot of steam/water and looks like a great beast, as it simmers stir periodically, then use in a recipe or eat with rice and veggies.

some more tips: oh no! it's from vegweb....as in vegan! but we forgive

S.

(comment on the IPA cuz i's a speech nerd
the last syllable is a stressed symbol, rather than a schwa, so it's more like SEY-TAN (as in i want a golden bronze TAN) rather than SEY-TeN. so no worries about confusing the two, even though i think of satan when i think of wheat gluten, muhself.
-R)