Faux Chicken Seitan for stir frys and fajitas etc

Ingredients

1. 1 cup vital wheat gluten
2. 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
3. 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
4. 1 tablespoon garlic powder
5. 1 cup vegetable broth

Instructions

1. Mix dry ingredients with one cup of vegetable broth and form a dough ball.
2. Once the dough has come together, shape it into a flat disc about an inch thick. Then place it in a bath of cold water to help solidify the dough and prepare for slicing.
3. Spread out the seitan mixture and slice it into small bite-sized pieces.
4. Now cook the seitan in a shallow pan with vegetable broth that just covers the individual pieces. This process will essentially braise the seitan and add some extra flavor. Place in a 400-degree oven for 45-60 minutes.
5. Around 30 minutes into this process, half the liquid will be gone. Flip the pieces of seitan and continue to cook until the liquid is gone.
6. Fry pieces in a non-stick skillet in olive oil until golden brown. Allow edges to crisp up for extra flavor.

Notes

1. Add extra spices to match your chicken dish. For fajitas, add chili powder and cumin. For Chinese stir-fry, add ground ginger, etc. This will help carry the flavors of the dish through the faux chicken. 

1. Directions with pictures

Once the dough has come together, shape it into a flat disc about an inch thick.  Then place it in a bath of cold water for a minute to help solidify the dough and prepare for slicing.

Take it out of the water bath and squeeze out excess water.  Spread out the seitan mixture and slice it into small bite-sized pieces.

Now cook the seitan in a shallow pan with vegetable broth that just covers the individual pieces.  This process will essentially braise the seitan and add some extra flavor.  Place in a 400 degree oven for 45-60 minutes.  

Around 30 minutes into this process, half the liquid will be gone.  Flip the pieces of seitan and continue to cook until the liquid is gone.

The faux chicken is now ready to cook or put in a sealed container to use later.  For many recipes, fry in a non-stick skillet with some olive oil until golden brown.  Serve in place of chicken and be amazed!

FALAFEL

1 19 oz. (540 mL) can chick peas, rinsed and drained
1 small onion, chopped
2-4 garlic cloves, peeled
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. salt
pinch dried chili flakes
1/4 cup all-purpose or whole wheat flour (plus extra, if needed)
1 tsp. baking powder

canola oil, for frying

Put the chick peas, onion, garlic, parsley, cilantro, cumin, salt and chili flakes in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until combined but not smooth. Add the flour and baking powder and pulse until you have a soft mixture that you can roll into balls without sticking to your hands. Add another spoonful or so of flour, if you need to.

Roll the dough into meatball-sized balls, and if you like, flatten each into a little pattie. I like doing this for maximum surface area, which equals more crunch. (They also cook through more quickly as the distance between the middle to the exterior is shorter.)

In a shallow pot or skillet, heat about 1/2″ of canola oil until it’s hot but not smoking. Test it with a bit of falafel mixture or a scrap of bread – the oil should bubble up around it. Cook the falafel for a few minutes per side, without crowding the pan (which will cool down the oil), until they are golden. Transfer to paper towels. (You could get away with using just a skiff of oil – if you do this, best to leave the falafels round, so that you can roll them around in the pan to brown all sides.)

Serve in pitas with tzatziki, chopped cucumber, purple onion and tomato.

Makes about 20 falafel balls or patties.

BBQ Fried Jackfruit

INGREDIENTS

• 1 14 oz. Can Jackfruit in Brine
• Vegan Buttermilk:
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1/2 tsp of Hot Sauce
• Seasoned salt to taste
• For the batter:
• 1/2 cup All Purpose Flour
• 1/8 cup Cornstarch
• 1/2 tablespoon Baking Powder
• Season to taste Seasoning salt
• Vegetable oil for frying
• Vegan BBQ sauce (1 cup or more)

INSTRUCTIONS

1

1. Drain and rinse the jackfruit pieces taking care not to break them up

2

2. Combine the almond milk/apple cider vinegar and let sit for 5 minutes. Add the jackfruit (drained and rinsed) and let sit for 5 minutes.

3

3. Combine flour, baking powder, and cornstarch together.

4

4. Heat the oil, dip the jackfruit in the flour mixture.

5

5. Dip in oil and fry until golden brown

6

6. Take out and place napkin with a plate, brush with BBQ sauce

Vegan Jackfruit “Crab” Cakes

What you’ll need:

2 cans (10 oz, 280 g each) young green jackfruit in brine

6 scallions, finely sliced

1/2 large red bell pepper, finely diced

2 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

3 tablespoons flax meal

6 tablespoons warm water

2 tablespoon dijon mustard

2 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning

Cooking spray

Fresh cilantro and lemon wedges for garnish

What you’ll do:

1. Use flax meal and warm water to make vegan flax egg. What you need to do is in a small bowl or a measuring cup mix flax meal and water in 1:2 ratio (1 tablespoon flax meal plus 2 tablespoons warm water and scale up from there if you know you need more binding agent), mix well and let sit for 15-30 min.
2. Drain and wash the jackfruit. Pull apart with your fingers into smaller pieces that are approximately size of crab meat used in crab cakes. Place into a large mixing bowl.
3. Dice the red pepper into small dice and add to jackfruit.
4. Chop scallions (white and green part) finely, add to the bowl.
5. Add all the other ingredients including the flax egg and mix well.
6. Line a tray with wax paper, form crab cakes with your hands, and set on the tray. This amount of jackfruit should yield 6-8 cakes. Leave the cakes in refrigerator for 30-60 minutes.
7. Spray the bottom of the frying pan with cooking spray and heat it over the medium high to high heat. Place 3 to 4 crab cakes into the pan at a time. Make sure you leave enough room between the crab cakes as it will help you move them around and flip them over. Cook for about 4-5 minutes on the first side and 3-4 minutes on the second side.
8. Sprinkle the Vegan Jackfruit “Crab” Cakes with some freshly chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lemon.

JACKFRUIT TAMALES [V, GF]

ngredients:
For the masa:
4 cups masa harina flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup coconut oil, melted or veg oil
3 cups of veggie stock or water
1 (16 ounce) package dried corn husks

For the pulled jackfruit:
1 20 oz. can green jackfruit (~1 lb./16 oz. fruit after draining)
1 medium white onion, chopped
2 t. cumin
¼ t. chili powder
1 T. minced garlic (optional)
1 bay leaf
1-2 vegan “beef” bouillon cubes, dissolved in ½ C. veggie stock or water 
1-2 T. non-dairy butter
Pepper to taste

Prep time: 30-45 min
Cook time: 45 min
Yield: 10-15 tamales

Count out 15 or so corn husks, and submerge in warm water to soften. Preheat the oven to 400 and drain canned jackfruit; if using fresh jackfruit, harvest meat and set aside. Toast the cumin and chili powders in a large skillet on medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes, then add olive oil and the chopped onion. Brown slightly, 2-5 minutes, then add the dissolved bouillon, bay leaf, salt and garlic (optional). Stir a few times and add the jackfruit to simmer on medium-low heat, stirring periodically, while you make the masa.

In a large bowl, combine the masa harina, baking powder and salt, then stir in the oil. Begin adding the stock ½ C. at a time; the dough should be ready when it’s soft and spongy, but doesn't stick to your hands. 
Head back to your skillet and shred the jackfruit with a wooden spoon or similar implement. Bring the heat up to medium-high and stir until the remaining liquid cooks down, about 5 minutes.

Remove the corn husks from the water and lay on a flat surface; add a scoop of masa and spread out into a roughly 3” square in the middle of the husk, about ½” thick. Lay a heaping spoonful of jackfruit in the middle and fold one side up, then the other, making a “dough cocoon” for the filling. Wrap the husk securely around the dough and, if possible, fold both ends down (the husks we used this time were a bit too stiff to fold the bottoms under).

Lay top-down on a slotted roasting pan with 1-2 inches of water in the bottom. Repeat until you run out of dough, filling or space in your pan. Cover the pan securely with a few sheets of aluminum foil and place on the center rack of your oven for 45 min. This will steam the tamales without getting them soggy. Remove from the oven and let them sit covered, for a few minutes before removing from the foil and serving. 

Serves

20 Croquettes
Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegan butter
1 white onion, diced
3 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 cups russet or Yukon potatoes, diced
1 20-ounce can jackfruit in brine
1 1/2 cups water
3/4 cup nutritional yeast, divided
1 cup chickpea flour
2 tablespoons oil
1/2 cup gluten-free bread crumbs
1/2 cup aquafaba (liquid from the can of chickpeas)
Preparation

Over medium heat, melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add the garlic, spices, salt, and pepper. Cook for another couple minutes.
Prepare the jackfruit while the onions are cooking. Remove the center “core” and the seeds. Rinse well.
Place the diced potato, jackfruit, water, and 1/4 cup of nutritional yeast into the pan. Let simmer over medium heat until all the water is gone and the potatoes are cooked thoroughly. If you need to add a bit more water to achieve this, feel free to do so.
Remove from heat and mash. Mix in the chickpea flour.
Let the mixture cool for a bit until you can comfortably handle it. Form into logs and place in the freezer to firm up.
Preheat the oven to 375°F and oil a baking sheet well.
Toss together the rest of the nutritional yeast and bread crumbs in a shallow dish.
Place the aquafaba in another shallow dish.
Once the croquettes have firmed up a bit (about 15-20 minutes), remove them from the freezer. Dip each croquette into the aquafaba and then the bread crumb mixture.
Bake for 20 minutes, then flip the croquettes and bake for another 15 minutes.
Serve with Dijon mustard.

Peppered Maple Jackfruit Bacon

• 1 can young green jackfruit in brine (unsweetened) I bought mine from a local Asian Market
• 1-2 T. liquid smoke
• 1 T. Bragg’s liquid aminos or coconut aminos for those with soy allergies
• 1 T. extra virgin olive oil or melted unrefined coconut oil
• 2 T. pure maple syrup
• 1 t. – 1 T. ground black pepper (depending on how peppery you want your bacon)
• 1 t. balsamic vinegar
• 1 t. unsulphered molasses
• 1/2 t. sea salt (optional)

Method: Rinse and drain the jackfruit. Press lightly onto clean kitchen towels to drain any excess moisture. Slice jackfruit into very thin strips with a filet knife, it’s okay if some of it shreds. Jackfruit is kinda shreddy like that. Press sliced jackfruit on the clean kitchen towels again to remove additional moisture. Place jackfruit slices in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together all the other ingredients to form the marinade. Pour marinade over the sliced jackfruit and gently toss to coat with your hands. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to let the jackfruit absorb the flavors. Preheat your oven to 425°. Lightly oil a large rimmed baking sheet and arrange the jackfruit slices on it so they don’t overlap. Bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring a time or two and watching to make sure the jackfruit bacon doesn’t burn and that it gets nice and crispy (a fine line). Remove from oven and spread onto paper towels and let cool a bit before use.