What’s Seitan?

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Seitan is a pseudo-Japanese word for textured wheat gluten used as a meat substitute in many Asian countries and for those on a macrobiotic diet. George Ohsawa, a Japanese philosopher and developer of the macrobiotic diet, once coined the term, it is thought, in the early 1960s, but this is not certain. He referred to a popular meat substitute among vegetarian Buddhists, in particular, although it has become a part of the cuisine of many countries.

Seitan is made by taking wheat flour in water and washing out the starch. Home cooks can do this, and guidance is available from The Farm Cookbook, produced by The Farm, a vegetarian joint in Summertown, Tennessee. The Farm cookbook calls seitan simply “gluten,” since this is what’s left of the flour when all the starch is gone.

Seitan is a chewy, thick, stringy substance that mimics many of the desirable characteristics of meat, including the all-important ‘mouthfeel’. When rinsed and ready to cook, it is flavored and oiled, then may be twisted into smaller chunks or chunks and cooked, usually with a sauce. Seitan tends to turn grayish when cooked, so a colorful sauce is needed for a mouthwatering dish. Barbecue and teriyaki sauce are popular in the West, while curry sauces are prevalent in Asia.

Tofurkey has grown in popularity in recent years, and this Thanksgiving twist is nothing more than a large serving of seasoned, oiled seitan. Many vegetarians prefer seitan as a meat substitute because it feels and chews more like real meat.

Like tofu, seitan tends to be a bit bland on its own, so proper seasoning is essential. Some cooks marinate seitan before cooking, which also helps retain more of the flavor. It also tends to take on the flavors of whatever is in the pan with it.

Seitan is available plain – sometimes labeled “wheat meat” – or prepared in cans, from most Asian grocery stores. Or, the adventure cook can try making seitan at home and cook it to a favorite recipe.

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