Vital Wheat Gluten Flour – Seitan Flour 500g

Vital wheat gluten flour, also known as seitan flour, is all you need to start making your own seitan or ‘wheat meat’ – just add water. A popular vegetarian and vegan meat alternative, seitan takes on a meaty texture similar to chicken when cooked.

To make your own seitan, mix 120g of vital wheat gluten flour with 177ml of cold water, added slowly until the dough comes together. Knead well and leave to rest for about 5 minutes. Then knead again, and tear or slice the dough and stretch the pieces into thin ‘cutlets’. In a large cooking pot, add a litre of vegetable stock or broth. Add your seitan pieces to the pot, and bring to a simmer. Cover the pot and simmer for at least an hour. The seitan is ready when it has expanded and firmed up.

Drain the seitan and allow to cool. You can keep this in airtight container in the freezer, or slice and use straight away in curries or stir fries.

To flavour your seitan, mix dried spices into the vital wheat flour before mixing with water or even use a vegetable stock. And when it comes to simmering the seitan, tailor the broth to your preferred flavour. If you want your seitan to be a fish alternative, add seaweed to the cooking liquid for mineral, sea-like flavours. For a versatile oriental flavour, use soy sauce, slices of ginger and a crushed garlic clove in the broth.

Vital wheat gluten flour is also a handy baking ingredient. Add 1 tablespoon per 120g of flour in a bread recipe to improve dough elasticity and help it rise.

Ingredients: vital wheat gluten. Contains allergens: gluten.