Basic Gluten
Gluten is the protein left when you wash the starch out of
unbleached flour. It is versatile since it takes on much of the
flavor of whatever broth you boil it in in step #3. (I've
included the asian broth recipe that my mother got years ago at
a vegetarian cooking class in Honolulu, but feel free to
experiment with other flavors and ingredients). It can be used
in chunks, slices, or ground, making it a good meat substitute
in many recipes. And, since the only ingredients are flour and
water, it's cheap!
Step #1
Put 5 lbs. unbleached flour in a very large bowl or pan. Add 8
cups of water and knead until all lumps are gone. (It's very
important that you be thorough and knead until the dough is
completely smooth). Pour enough water into the bowl to cover
the dough, and let it sit several hours or overnight.
Step #2
When you are ready to wash out the gluten, it's easiest to put
the bowl in the kitchen sink. Gently drain off the water in the
bowl, being careful not to let any of the soft dough go down
the drain with it. Fill the bowl with fresh water and knead the
dough for a few minutes. The water will look like milk, but will
get clearer as the starch washes out. Drain this liquid
off, and add more fresh water. Continue kneading, draining, and
adding more water until the water is almost, but not quite
clear. Try to keep the dough in a ball as you work, at first
this will be hard to do, but as you continue "washing" the
gluten, the dough will get firmer.
Step #3
When you have finished the washing process, use a sharp knife
to cut the gluten into small pieces, about the size of a
matchbook, and about 3/4 inch thick. Flatten the pieces a bit,
and drop them into the following mixture, which has been
brought to a boil:
Gluten Broth
6 T. cooking oil
6 C. water
5-6 T. brown sugar
3/4 C. soy sauce
2 onions, sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 celerly stalk, sliced
Cook for about an hour on medium heat, stirring occasionaly.
When done, there will be no liquid left, so watch toward the
end to make sure it doesn't burn.
The gluten can now be used as is, sliced or ground. It can also
be frozen.
[Main Index][Entree Index]