Vegetarian meat(Seitan)

Vegetarian meat is most parts gluten and some part (30 -40%) flour. We try to incorporate flours with protein content like chickpea flour, soaked and ground urad dal or lentils. Gluten is the vital part of this recipe to pripovide texture.

Urad dal is popular in Indian cuisine and is a significant part of the South Indian idli. Ground and fermented with rice gives the fluffiness for the idli.

Ingredients:

Gluten -2/3 cup
Flour   - 1/3 cup ( prefered are ground lentils or lentil flours)
Water as required
Salt as per taste
Spices of your choice
Food colouring (optional) - 3-4 drops*

Mix the flours, spices and salt  in a food processor and blend for a minute or two adding water as required. If you are using food colouring add it now and blend until it is a bread dough consistency.
Take dough out and knead on countertop for a couple of minutes. Use a little oil or flour while kneading. It may be a little sticky in consistency but it shoukd be ok.

Shape dough into desired shape and steam until well cooked.
Store in refrigerator for a week to 10 days. Slice into small cubes or thin slices in recipes. Saute or grill  them well with little oil when adding in recipes for good texture. This provides a goid source of protein for vegetarians.

*In this recipe we used red food coloring.

1. In this recipe we soaked equal portions yellow split peas and urad dal , ground into dough.
2. You can use fermented water from soaked beans/ wheat or cooked pasta water instead of plain water.
3.Spices like carraway, cumin , black or crushed red pepper are the ones we commonly use.
4. Small cubes of vegetarian jeat can be sauteed and used in stir-fries, pilaf, uppumas and pastas.
5. Thin slices can be grilled placed in sandwiches and thin slices can be placed as pizza toppings. Be creative!