Seitan Part II: Vegetarian char siu

EASY CHAR SIU WITH HOMEMADE SEITAN 

Now that I've learnt how to make seitan (Part 1), I went on to use it to make char siu (barbecued meat).

I used the recipe from Amy Beh at Kuali.com. It is straightforward, and although there are a number of steps, they are not difficult to follow.

How to make vegetarian char siu

However, there is no barbecuing involved, or even roasting in the oven. The "meat" gets its look from frying. I thought it was good anyway.

In the next post, I'm making mantao buns to fill with the char siu.

Vegetarian Char Siu
Adapted from Amy Beh at Kuali.com. Serves 4

4 large seitan logs (about 500g)

Oil for deep frying

100ml water

Sauce
1½ tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce
3 tbsp light soya sauce
1 tbsp dark soya sauce
1½ tbsp sugar
1½ tsp salt
1 tbsp tomato ketchup
¾ tsp pepper
¾-1 tsp Chinese five spice powder
1 tbsp hoisin sauce
A little red food colouring

Squeeze the seitan logs in a kitchen towel so they are not too watery.

Mix the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl. Add the seitan logs, turning them to coat well with the marinade; set aside for at least an hour.

Remove the seitan from the marinade (reserve the marinade) and deep-fry the seitan in hot oil until golden brown. Drain.

Place the reserved marinade in a saucepan with the water and bring to the boil. Add fried seitan and reduce the heat; simmer until the sauce has reduced, stirring the seitan strips occasionally to coat them well with the sauce.

If desired, the seitan be placed under the broiler for a few minutes to char them. Keep a close eye on them and keep turning to prevent burning.

Cut the char siu into thin slices before serving.

Next ~ Seitan Part III: Char Siu in Mantao Buns