These kebabs are perfectly tender and due to the seitan simmering in a well-seasoned broth then marinating in a delicious teriyaki sauce prior to grilling.
Seitan recipe modified from Connoisseurus Veg
INGREDIENTS
For the seitan
1 cup vital wheat gluten
1/4 cup chickpea flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 cup water
For the broth
5-1/2 cups low sodium broth
1/3 cup low sodium tamari
1-1/2 Tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon teaspoon liquid smoke
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Helpful Hint: I have made seitan many times and I flavor it differently depending on how I'm going to use it. If you don’t have veggie broth on hand, make your own. I added a handful of sliced carrots and onions and one minced garlic clove, and a dash of salt and pepper to 5-1/2 cups of water to make my broth. You can also get REALLY creative with the broth!
DIRECTIONS
Prior to starting the seitan, place wooden skewers in a pan of water to soak so that they don't burn during grilling.
1. Stir the vital wheat gluten, chickpea flour and spices together in a medium bowl.
2. Add the water and stir to form a soft dough. It should be fairly rubbery and not stick to the bowl, your hand or your work surface. No additional flour should be needed for kneading.
3. Transfer the dough to a work surface and knead for 8 minutes.
4. Let dough sit for 5 about minutes.
5. In the meantime stir the broth ingredients in a large pot.
6. Place the pot on high heat and bring the broth to a boil. Lower the heat to low simmer.
7. After resting, cut the dough into at least 4 large, fairly equal pieces, or smaller chunks or strips if desired.
8. Add the dough to the broth and allow to simmer for 40 minutes, covered, then 20 minutes uncovered, for a total of one hour, watching closely to ensure it stays at a low simmer (if it boils it could make the seitan tough). You may need to increase the heat after removing the lid. The broth should be simmering (the liquid should be moving) through the entire cooking process. (See Note).
9. Take the pot off the heat and allow the seitan to cool then cut 2 pieces into cubes then place in the marinade for 30 minutes (recipe below).
10. Store any remaining unused seitan in the broth in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Note: The seitan should have doubled or even tripled in size after 40 minutes and may look "shaggy", and may feel loose if handled. (You may need to turn it over or adjust the pieces since they have increased in size. All pieces need to be completely covered by the broth). It should smooth out and firm up after cooking uncovered.
Teriyaki Marinade
1 cup low sodium tamari
1/4 cup maple syrup
Juice from half a lemon
1 garlic clove, minced,
1 tsp fresh grated ginger
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Add all ingredients to a small bowl and whisk to blend. Add seitan pieces and let marinade for 30 minutes. This recipe is enough for two pieces of the cooked seitan plus extra for dipping if desired. If using all of the seitan, the recipe can be doubled.
Vegetables for the Kebabs (prepare while seitan is marinating)
1. Dice vegetables of choice into uniform pieces, about 3/4 inch cubes. It is important that they are fairly even in size so they cook evenly. Ideal options are peppers, onions, zucchini, squash (summer or patty pan) and mushrooms.
2. Place into a bowl and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with onion and garlic powders, Italian seasoning, pepper and a pinch of salt. Toss well to coat. Set aside while seitan is marinating. Stir well prior to skewering.
Grilling Instructions
Prepare grill of choice for direct cooking method. I used a pellet grill preheated to 350 degrees F. Skewer the seitan and vegetables and then grill for 15 minutes, turning once after about 7 minutes. The seitan is already fully cooked so you're only cooking the vegetables. The vegetables will be tender crisp. If the vegetables aren't tender enough after 15 minutes, brush some of the marinade onto the seitan so that it does not dry out during the additional cooking. It is recommended to cook no more than an additional 5-7 minutes.
Enjoy!