Seitan Is the Latest TikTok Trend—and It Requires Just Two Ingredients
TikTok has an endless stream of food videos, and there's a video for every palate. Whether you're craving something sweet like these baked oats or something savory like this baked feta pasta, it's easy to find delicious recipes. And the latest trend will have vegans rushing to their kitchens to make seitan.
Although seitan has been around for centuries in Chinese and Japanese cooking, it recently caught my attention thanks to a TikTok from George Lee, a 19-year-old Taiwanese vegan chef. Seitan, which is sometimes referred to as "wheat meat," is a plant-based protein made from flour and water. Because of its simple ingredients, seitan can easily absorb other flavors of a dish, making it an extremely versatile option. Seitan can be used in place of meat in recipes for stir-fries and more.
Related: The 10 Best Vegan Protein Sources
Lee's recipe for seitan is super easy and requires just a few steps. First, Lee combines flour and water in a bowl before kneading to form a dough, which then sits for an hour to let the gluten rest. Then, the dough gets rinsed in water to remove any wheat starch (do this until the water runs clear and your dough is slightly wrinkled). Next, shape your dough into a patty and place it in a wok to steam, about 20 to 25 minutes, and your seitan is ready to enjoy! (If you don't have a wok, you can also steam it in a large pot of boiling water.)
While Lee's recipe doesn't provide exact measurements, you can follow along with our Homemade Seitan recipe. And once you have your homemade protein, you can use it in a variety of dishes. Try seitan in our Seitan BBQ Sandwiches or Dan Dan Noodles with Seitan, Shiitake Mushrooms & Napa Cabbage for a plant-based meal that is filling and flavorful.
Related: 20 Healthy Vegan Dinners You Can Make in 20 Minutes
