This first one is made with semolina; it's quick, simple and foolproof.
It
makes about 9.5 ounces of cooked seitan, plenty for any of the following
suggestions to make 3-4 servings.
I should mention that if I reasonably
ignore the cost of my labor and the ingredients other than for the
semolina, this recipe can be made for less than $0.50.
Toss in the rest
of the ingredients, and it probably hits a dollar.
Caution: This recipe will only work as described with pure,unadulterated
durum semolina, so you need to get it from a reliable source.
I've found
that some "semolina" available in bulk at some health-food stores is made
from softer wheat, or may be cut with cornmeal.
Seitan:
2 cups durum semolina
Simmering Broth:
4 cups water
PREPARATION
Combine semolina and hot water in a bowl and stir with a wooden spoon
for about 4-5 minutes, until the dough comes together in a semi-solid
glutinous mass. Add cold water from the tap in a gentle stream, covering
the dough by 2 to 3 inches.
Using your hand, begin to compact the dough
by gently lifting it from the edges and rotating the mass through the
water
for a couple of minutes.
Don't run your fingers through the developing
gluten or you'll fragment it. The free starch will begin to dissolve, and
the remaining mass of gluten will start to congeal. Let rest for 5
minutes to allow the water to come to the top.
[Note: If the gluten doesn't begin to hold together at this stage, and the water separates into a white, starchy liquid, covered by a layer of clear yellowish fluid, you probably don't have pure durum semolina.]
Gently pour off the starchy water, using your hand to prevent the gluten
from slipping over the edge of the bowl.
Repeat the above process: cover
with cold water, collect and gently knead the gluten into a cohesive
mass, let rest for 2-5 minutes more.
Drain off the water, as above.
Repeat for the last time: cover with cold water, lightly knead in the
bowl and let rest for another 2-5 minutes. Drain again, as above. By
now, the
gluten should hold together in a single "blob."
Allow the drained gluten to sit in the now-empty bowl, pressing and
turning
it a few times, for a final 5-10 minutes.
As the trapped water escapes
the uncooked seitan and settles at the bottom of the bowl, drain it off.
Remove the seitan to a flat workspace, like a countertop, and knead as
though it were bread dough for 30 or 40 turns.
Blot up released
water with paper towels. Knead gently to avoid tearing the developed
gluten. The uncooked seitan will be elastic, almost rubbery, and it won't
combine into a smooth homogeneous dough like bread; with little residual
starch, it will resist your best efforts to make a tight, solid ball, so
don't fight it with a lot of pressure.
When the gluten begins to stick
to the countertop, flatten it with the heel of your hand into a uniform
patty, roughly 6 inches in diameter and a half to three-quarters of an
inch thick.
Bring a suitable pot of water to a rolling boil, and add the seitan patty.
Let boil for 5 minutes, watching to make sure it doesn't boil over.
Remove the seitan to a plate to cool a bit and to drain.
Use the same pot and combine all of the ingredients for the simmering
broth. You can use either fresh water or the water from the initial
boiling. Bring broth to a rolling boil, add the pre-cooked seitan, lower
the heat to a simmer, cover the pot and barely simmer for 20-30 minutes.
Carefully remove the soft finished seitan to a plate with a large
slotted spoon and let cool. Save the simmering broth.
Now, what you do with the seitan is up to you.
You can:
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