Curry Seitan

My Unexpected Culinary Adventure: A Seitan Story

As a busy working mom, finding time to cook delicious, healthy meals can feel like a Herculean task. Between school runs, work deadlines, and the never-ending cycle of laundry, whipping up something gourmet often falls by the wayside. I’m all about quick, easy recipes that don't compromise on flavour, and that's where my recent seitan curry discovery comes in. It all began with a recommendation from a colleague, who raved about a banh mi sandwich she had at the Verdugo Bar – a sandwich filled with this intriguing ingredient called seitan. Intrigued, I set out on a culinary adventure to make my own.

The recipe itself looked initially intimidating. It involved a strange mixture of ingredients, including multiple types of flour, an array of spices, and a rather unusual method for cooking it. But after reviewing all the steps, I found the process remarkably straightforward. The hardest part was finding all the spices, some of which I hadn't encountered before. The satisfaction of creating something from scratch that was both delicious and entirely new far outweighed any perceived difficulty. This experience has shown me the beauty of finding time to experiment in the kitchen.

The result? A truly remarkable culinary achievement. The seitan itself was incredibly flavorful, juicy, and satisfying, easily exceeding my expectations. The texture was surprisingly soft and moist, a delightful contrast to what I imagined a gluten-based product might be like. The fragrant spices blended beautifully, creating a mouth-watering curry that I absolutely devoured. It was so good that my family, even my picky eaters, enjoyed it just as much! This recipe has become a quick addition to our meal plan.

This seitan curry's versatility was a delightful surprise. The next day, I experimented with using it as a burger patty, achieving a truly unique flavor profile. This was an especially easy recipe to adapt, it provided an opportunity to test out new techniques and explore different culinary approaches. I've even considered adapting it further—perhaps incorporating different vegetables or spices—to create an entire range of delicious and healthy meals. It's made me realize how much creativity you can infuse into cooking, even when time seems to be your biggest obstacle. This is a recipe I will be making time and time again.

One of the unexpected benefits of this recipe was the way it brought my family together. The process of preparing the seitan curry was an engaging, collaborative experience. It was a chance for us to work together, and for me to share my newfound culinary skills with my kids. The smiles and satisfied sighs as they devoured the meal made the entire experience worth every minute spent in the kitchen. The best part of this recipe is that it's a fantastic way to encourage healthy eating in a fun and delicious way, making it a perfect addition to any busy family's meal plan.

The journey of making this seitan curry wasn't just about creating a delicious meal; it was about discovering a new ingredient, learning new skills, and creating lasting memories with my family. It's a testament to the fact that even in the midst of a busy schedule, finding time to cook something special can be a profoundly rewarding experience, filled with joy, discovery and flavour. I have learned to prioritize time in the kitchen, not merely as a means of sustenance, but as a means of creating connection, discovering passion and celebrating life's simpler joys.

Step-by-step

• Start by making 4 cups of cilantro-steeped stock. We suggest using 4 cups filtered water blended with bullion on high heat for 5 minutes. (Broth from the box also works, there's no need to make your own stock for this.) In a large pot, place broth on medium heat. Line up the cilantro stems and finely mince so you have about 1/2 cup. Toss half in the broth, and set the other half aside to add directly to the seitan. Let it reach a boil then turn off and cool for 20 minutes.
• Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Prepare your counter space by laying out all the necessary dry ingredients, a measuring cup (1 cup), 2 large mixing bowls, a towel, a bread pan, aluminum foil, wax paper, olive oil and canola spray.
• Now mix the dry ingredients in one bowl: the flour, the spices and salt. Finally grind the fresh cilantro coarsely in a mortar and pestle or with a knife (a clean coffee grinder also works) and toss that in too.
• In the second bowl, measure out the wet ingredients: stock, canola oil and soy sauce. Whisk well.
• Slowly pour about half the wet ingredients into the dry bowl and mix roughly with your hands. Flick off goo bits and towel dry hands. Pour in the rest of the liquid, saving a tablespoon or so just in case. (You want a gloopy bread batter that sticks together if you try to flip it in the bowl but can also be easily pulled apart.) Add last bit unless it seems too wet.
• Break off enough wax paper to line your bread pan. Spray the sides of the pan with a touch of canola, then lay it down. Spray even more on the top side of the wax paper to keep seitan from sticking. Grind a decent teaspoon or so of fresh black pepper.
• You're ready to dump-slide the seitan blob into your lined bread pan. Coat with a touch of olive oil on top, more black pepper and seal with aluminum foil.
• Finally make a double-boiler by simply filling a large roasting dish one-third full with water and place the seitan loaf inside. This will gently bake the fucker. Put the whole thing in the oven and bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes.
• When your timer blows up, pull loaf out and uncover. Check doneness by poking with a fork. You want it to still be pliable and soft but slightly browned. Stick it in for 10 more minutes for color and remove. Turn bread over to separate loaf from wax paper (gentle) and slice to serve, sear or reheat!