Makes 4 steaks
3/4 cup cooked lentils I used canned, drained and rinsed
1 3/4 cups vital wheat gluten
1/2 cup tomato paste
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
1/2 cup vegetable broth, vegetarian beef broth or water
Marinade #1
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon maple syrup or agave
Marinade #2
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup or agave
1 tablespoon tomato paste
To a food processor, add all seitan steak ingredients and pulse, scraping down the sides as needed until combined. One trick is to add all the steak ingredients first, pulse and then add the vital wheat gluten.
Dump the seitan onto a clean surface, sprinkling with a little vital wheat gluten if needed to prevent sticking. Knead the mixture together for a few minutes until it's no longer crumbly.
Flatten the ball somewhat, then cut into 4 sections. Use a potato masher, or even just your hands to flatten the steaks further. I think they are best when they are quite thin, about an inch or a little less.
Place the steaks in a steamer basket with water on the bottom and steam for 30 minutes. You can also wrap each one in foil if desired, but they really turn out fine unwrapped. Make sure the water doesn't all evaporate and add more as needed.
While the steaks steam, whisk the marinade ingredients in a shallow dish (8×8 is perfect).
Once the steaks are done steaming, remove and place in the marinade. Turn them over a few times to coat.
Heat a large pan (cast iron grill pan preferred) with a few tablespoons of oil. Add the steaks and cook for a few minutes on each side until a bit blackened. You could also cook them on an outdoor grill.
Brush the steaks with a little more marinade right before removing from the pan for extra flavor and moisture.
Serve immediately.
Calories: 375 per steak