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Seitan Sauté with Bell Peppers

This hearty dish is reminiscent of Chinese restaurant peppersteak.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

2 tablespoons light olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 medium green or red bell peppers, or a combination, diced
1 to 1 1/2 pounds seitan, 1/4 cup of liquid reserved, cut into bite-size chunks
Light soy sauce or teriyaki sauce to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oil in a large skillet or stir-fry pan. Add the onions and sauté over medium heat until golden.

    Step 2

    Add the bell peppers and seitan and sauté over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the peppers are tender-crisp and the seitan chunks are touched by golden-brown spots. Season to taste with soy sauce and pepper and serve.

  2. seitan

    Step 3

    Seitan is a superb grain product that deserves more attention. Bearing the Japanese name meaning “wheat gluten,” it’s commonly used in many Asian cuisines. These chewy, moist chunks are often used in Chinese vegetable dishes as a meat imitator.

  3. Step 4

    Seitan is, in fact, sometimes referred to as “wheat meat.” It is made by rinsing wheat flour dough of its starchy components, leaving the chewy, high-protein gluten, which is then cooked in a soy sauce and ginger-flavored broth. The medium-brown color and porous surface of the finished product add to its “meatiness.” Despite its analogous qualities, seitan doesn’t really taste like meat and shouldn’t put off anyone who isn’t tempted by imitation meats.

  4. Step 5

    Its full-bodied character makes seitan somewhat less versatile than tofu, but still, it lends itself to numerous preparations. The easiest use for it is to simply toss chunks into stir-fries or to grill or broil it using your favorite sauce.

  5. Step 6

    A ready-to-use product, seitan is most often sold in 1- to 1 1/2-pound tubs. As of this writing, I have rarely seen it in supermarkets, so look for it in natural foods stores and food co-ops. If seitan captures your fancy, you may want to try Arrowhead Mill’s Seitan Quick Mix so that you can prepare larger quantities. This mix is not exactly quick, but certainly more convenient than making seitan from scratch.

  6. nutrition information

    Step 7

    Calories: 252

    Step 8

    Total Fat: 6g

    Step 9

    Protein: 39g

    Step 10

    Carbohydrate: 10g

    Step 11

    Cholesterol: 0mg

    Step 12

    Sodium: 242mg

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