Seitan

(this recipe has been taken from the cookbook of Angelica Home Kitchen)
Yeild : 6 - 8 main course servings
Cooking time - 3 hours
This dish was invented by vegetarian Buddhist Monks in China. It can be made in quantity and stored. The seitan making process begins with a flour dough, which is kneaded under running water until all the starch and bran are washed out and only the gluten remains. The gluten is then cooked in water flavoured with tamari, kombu and herbs, which firms up the protein and provides a delicate taste. Seitan has a very satisfying chewy texture, and takes on the flavour of the ingredients with which it is cooked. In the West seitan is available ready-made but as it is not as yet available here, here is a recipe for it.

For the flour dough :
2 pounds organic unbleached white flour (maida)
2 pounds organic whole wheat flour
6 cups cold water.
For the stock:
1/2 kilo onions quartered
3 carrots halved lengthwise
2 stalks of celery including the leaves halved lengthwise
4 cloves garlic halved
8 pieces (1 rupee coin size slices) ginger
2 sprigs of thyme
2 bay leaves
12 peppercorns
1 cup tamari or soya sauce
4 litres water

Combine the flour with the water in a 5 litre bowl
Place dough on the counter and knead for 150 strokes till it is smooth and elastic and has the feel of a firm ball of bread dough. This can be done in and electric mixer with a dough maker
Return the dough to the mixing bowl and cover with warm water.
Allow the bowl to rest for 30 minutes while you assemble the ingredients for the stock.
To make the gluten:
Place the dough in a colander and put the colander inside the mixing bowl.
Put the mixing bowl in the sink and fill with cold water.
Keep in mind that the final product will be about 1/5 the size of the dough, so do not worry that you are washing everything out. You are supposed to!
Knead the dough for 5 minutes and drain all the water out. Repeat this procedure 2 more times.
Fill the bowl with hot water and pull and knead the dough till the water becomes almost clear, about another 5 minutes.
Finally rinse the dough in cold water for another 5 minutes.
What you are left with is the gluten - the protein. All the starch and 90% of the bran has been washed away.
Divide the gluten into 2 equal-sized balls. Place in an 8 to 10 litre stockpot with the stock ingredients and the water. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 3 hours.
Add water from time to time as necessary to keep the gluten submerged.
Strain the stock and use for soup or sauce.
The seitan is now ready for use. Slice it into bite size pieces. Seitan will keep in the refrigerator for 3 - 5 days submerged in stock or drained and tightly wrapped in plastic. It also freezes beautifully for up to 3 months.
Seitan can be used in stir-fries instead of tofu or in other recipes like lasagna, where a meaty texture is required.