What is seitan?

Answer 1

It's the vegetarian Wheat Meat !
Seitan is a meat substitute. It is made from wheat gluten and is quite high in protein and low in fat.

Here's a recipe, in case you want to make it.

Ingredients
1 gallon water

1 chunk of ginger

1/2 cup of soy sauce

1 cup gluten flour (also known as high gluten flour,
or 80% gluten flour)

1 to 2 cups warm water

Makes 2 1/2 pounds.

Method
In a large pot begin boiling the gallon of water, along with the ginger and soy sauce.

Mix the gluten with 1 to 2 cups warm water, mixing it with your hands until it becomes a sticky blob.

Run cold water over it and knead it underwater for a few minutes, changing the water when it gets cloudy. If the gluten you use is fresh, the dough will hold together. If the gluten is less fresh, it will break apart as you knead it. If this happens, pour the water through a wire strainer, then collect the pieces you strained out and press them back into the original blob.

When the water boils, cut pieces of gluten about the size of a finger and drop them into the pot. Cook for 1 1/2-2 hours.

Hope it's of some help !

Answer 2

Definition: Although it is made from wheat, seitan has little in common with flour or bread. Also called “wheat meat”, “wheat gluten” or simply “gluten”, seitan becomes surprisingly similar to the look and texture of meat when cooked, making it a popular meat substitute. Asian restaurants often use seitan as a mock meat, and seitan is also the base for several commercially available products such as Tofurky deli slices.

Seitan can be prepared by hand using either whole wheat flour or vital wheat gluten and is made by rinsing away the starch in the wheat, leaving a high-protein gluten behind. Although not as common as tofu, seitan is quickly gaining popularity, particularly in vegetarian restaurants, due to its ability to take on the texture and flavor of meat.
Prepared seitan can be found in the refrigerated section of most health food stores.

Some Seitan Recipes are :

Mexican Seitan Fajitas
Basic Barbecue Seitan
Barley and Seitan Pilaf
Southern Fried Seitan
Chinese Stir-Fry with Seitan

Pronunciation: SAY-tahn or SAY-tan
Also Known As: wheat meat, wheat gluten, gluten, vital wheat gluten

Answer 3

Seitan is a form of wheat gluten. It is a high protein, low fat, no cholesterol (of course, all vegan food is cholesterol free) food that is usually found in the refrigerated section of most organic groceries/health food stores. It is usually near the tofu and typically comes in small tubs (like margarine tubs). It is brown and sometimes comes in strips 1/4 to 1/2 inches thick.
Seitan is made from whole wheat flour which is mixed with water and kneaded. This dough undergoes a simple process of rinsing and mixing, to remove the starch and some bran, until a gluten is obtained. After boiling in water, this glutinous dough is called Kofu, which can be further processed in many ways. One of which is seitan. Kofu becomes seitan by simmering in a stock of tamari soy sauce, water and kombu sea vegetable.
Seitan can be used in sandwiches, or to make dishes such as sweet and sour seitan, seitan stir fry, salisbury seitan, etc. It can be made at home from scratch or with a commercially available mix. Some companies produce vegan seitan products such as Meat of Wheat by Ivy foods.

Answer 4

Seitan is a gluten product that is commonly used as a substitute for meat.
The only kind I've ever had is the kind you have to make. You mix the product, shape it according to which ways you will use it, and cook it in a mixture of water and tamari.
It's pretty good, if you ask me. :-)

Answer 5

check http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seitan