Seitan Deli Meat Slices

1/2 block (~7oz/200g) firm tofu

1/2 cup (40g) sun dried tomatoes, coarsely chopped if not using a high speed blender

1 1/2 cups (355g) vegetable broth (chick'n style if available)

2 tbsp (21g) oil

2 tbsp (30g) lemon juice

1 tbsp (15g) soy sauce

2 garlic cloves, peeled

1 1/2 tsp onion powder

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp dried rosemary

2 cups (275g) vital wheat gluten

1/4 cup (25g) chickpea flour (can sub in more wheat gluten or can made in Ninja blender from dried chickpeas)

2 tbsp (18g) corn starch

Set up a large steamer pot on the stove and bring water to a boil, turning down the heat to maintain a steamy simmer.

To a blender add tofu, sun dried tomatoes, vegetable broth, oil, lemon juice, soy sauce, garlic cloves, onion powder, black pepper, salt, and rosemary. Blend until fairy smooth, small bits of sun dried tomato are ok.

In a mixing bowl whisk together the vital wheat gluten, chickpea flour, and corn starch. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir to bring together with a wooden spoon. Then knead by hand for 1-3 minutes to thoroughly mix together and slightly develop the gluten.

Prepare a large piece of foil, about 10" long. Place a piece of parchment paper, about 6" long in the center of the foil (see photos in post). Place the seitan dough about 1/3 of the way up from the edge of the parchment paper and form into about a 6" log. Wrap the parchment paper around the seitan, then place it towards the bottom of the foil and wrap the foil around it and twist the ends like a candy wrapper to tightly seal the foil package.

Place in the steamer basket and let steam for 1 hour. In the last 15 minutes, preheat the oven to 350 ºF. After an hour of steaming, transfer the seitan loaf (still in the foil) to a baking tray and bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely, unsealing the foil to speed the process once it's cool enough to touch.

Once room temperature, seal in a container or plastic bag and store in the fridge, it will continue to firm up over the next several hours. Thinly slice, chop, shred, or prepare however you like. For longer storage it keeps well in the freezer, but remove foil before freezing.

NOTES

You can make two smaller loaves of seitan instead of one large one, just divide the dough in half, and shape it into two rolls in two pieces of parchment/foil, keeping them about 5-6" long, and follow the same directions for cooking.

You can skip the baking step and increase the steaming time to 1 hour and 15 minutes to cook, but baking after steaming gives it the chewy outside skin around the seitan loaf and creates a slightly denser texture to the seitan.

Recipe method adapted from Vegan Dad.

https://www.thecuriouschickpea.com/homemade-seitan-deli-meat-slices/