COOKING WITH GLUTEN
By Dez Figueira
Gluten has been around for centuries. The Orientals use it, the Seventh-day Adventists use it, all bakers know about it, and there are a number of technical papers in print about it. Many vegans and vegetarians, and even my cats, love it. Gluten is in a lot of foods, disguised as "wheat protein." Worthington Farms makes several delicious products based on gluten. I have been a gluten maven for about fifteen years, developing and refining its cookery.
Gluten is made from wheat flour. Wheat is a grass of the Graminae Family of the Genus Triticum, and was probably the first grain to be intentionally cultivated by humankind, dating back to Neolithic times, about seven thousand years ago. A bushel of wheat, weighing 60 pounds, will yield about 42 pounds of flour, which can produce 20 to 25 pounds of gluten.
Gluten is the protein substance that is obtained by manipulating dough under running water so that the starch is removed by a rinsing and kneading process, causing the starch to run off in a milky slurry. The word gluten is related to agglutinate, meaning hold together, which is what it does. As you work with it, you will notice its tendency to draw together.
Raw gluten is a cream-gray colored, iridescent, coherent, rubber-like, tenacious, ductile, elastic mass that is stretchy and slightly pearly in appearance. It sort of looks like used chewing gum. Properly developed gluten has a squeaky feel. Nutritionally speaking, gluten is relatively low in calories, fat, and cholesterol. It is also low in most vitamins and minerals, but can be served with vegetables and grains to make a lowfat dish rich in vitamins and minerals. The sodium content of gluten is quite variable. Gluten cooked in soy sauce or a salty broth will be high in sodium.
You can use a commercial gluten mix, purchase prepared gluten, or make it from scratch. Vital Wheat Gluten (VWG) is a gluten mix distributed by Arrow-head Mills and is made from hard winter wheat. VWG is found in health food stores and on the health food shelf at the supermarket. VWG is produced by making gluten in the usual way, drying it, and then powdering it. Vital Wheat Gluten does not require kneading or washing and it has the added advantage of being quick to prepare. When using VWG, note that one cup powder plus one cup liquid equals one pound gluten. Kneading time is one minute, and there is no washing involved. This is because you are actually recon-stituting "instant" dried gluten that has already been made. You can add seasoning to the powder, and use oil and liquid seasoning or sauces, instead of or in addition to water, for the reconstituting liquid. Gluten produced from VWG must still be cooked in the usual ways.
| 4 oz. purchased gluten | 4 oz. prepared Vital Wheat Gluten | |
| calories | 157 | 132 |
| protein (grams) | 24 | 15 |
| fat (grams) | 0.2 | 0.7 |
| carbohydrate (gm) | 16 | 17 |
| cholesterol | 0 | 0 |
Gluten is also called seitan. This is cooked, ready-to-eat gluten that has been marinated in tamari and spices. Ready-to-eat gluten (seitan) is available in the refrigerator case in most health food stores. It usually comes in a plastic container similar to tofu. Some health food stores carry seitan in bottles on the shelf. In Oriental stores, ready-to-eat gluten (seitan) is available in cans. It is usually half to one-third the price of seitan in the health food store. Names on cans in these stores may include mock duck, Mun Chai Ya, or Chai Pow Yu (mock abalone). Gluten is sometimes also called wheat meat. The packaged or canned items can be quickly warmed up and then served with bread, rice, or pasta. For a super fast meal, while warming up the gluten, add some frozen peas and corn.
TO MAKE GLUTEN
To make 3-1/2 to 5 pounds of gluten from scratch.
1. Mix 12 cups of flour with 7 cups of water until all the flour is moistened. Gather dough into a ball. After the dough begins to hold together, knead twenty minutes. The dough should be smooth and springy.
2. Place dough in a large bowl, cover completely with water and let rest one hour.
3. Place a large bowl of cool water in the sink. Adjust faucet so that a continuous trickle of cool water runs into the bowl.
4. Break off an apple-sized piece of dough and put it in the water in the bowl, stretch and squeeze the dough in the water so that the milky starch begins to separate. It takes about 15 minutes of washing for each piece of dough. Keep replacing water in bowl, keeping the dough under water as much as possible. Properly developed gluten is slightly iridescent and feels squeaky. When washing is complete, the rinse water should be clear.
5. Place the washed gluten in a container of cold water. Repeat step 4 until all gluten has been washed.
6. Raw gluten can be boiled for 20 minutes in water or a flavored broth, roasted slowly in broth, shaped into patties and fried, ground, and pan fried, or mixed with peanut butter and tomato paste and baked. Boiled gluten can also be frozen and thawed for a different texture.
MAKING GLUTEN FROM SCRATCH
FLOUR: Any wheat flour will produce gluten (except self-rising). My flour of choice is stone ground, whole, hard red winter wheat from Arrowhead Mills, preferably Tascosa, or other hard red winter wheat varieties. Refined, bleached white flour probably has the lowest yield. It is okay to mix several different types of flour. Any type of wheat flour you have on hand will make gluten.
Stone ground whole wheat flour has the bran still in it, which adds dimension to the gluten texture and fiber to your diet. Some of the bran will be lost in the washing process. Another good flour to try is red durum which produces a golden creamy gluten.
Protein in wheat flour does vary according to the type of wheat it is made from. Hard spring wheat is about 12 to 18% protein. Hard winter wheat is about 10 to 15% protein.
WATER: The ratio of water to flour should be 0.7 parts water to 1 part flour, although the flour/water ratio can vary from 0.6:1 to 0.85:1, depending on the type of flour used. Hard water is preferable to soft water. Water temperature also matters. The ideal water temperature should be 15 degrees to 20 degrees centigrade (59 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit). If you have soft water and/or soft flour, sodium chloride will help make the gluten firmer. Your ideal combination is cool hard water and hard flour.
Hard water/hard flour = high protein yield, strong gluten
Soft water/soft flour = low protein yield, weak gluten
Too cold water = low protein and aching hands
Too warm water = weak gluten
| AMOUNT | PRODUCES |
| 1 cup unbleached white flour plus 1/3 cup water, kneaded for 20 minutes, washed for 15 minutes | 1/3 cup raw gluten |
| 1 cup stone ground whole wheat flour plus 3/8 cup water, kneaded for 20 minutes, washed for 15 minutes | 3/8 cup raw gluten |
| 1/2 cup whole wheat flour mixed with 1/2 cup Vital Wheat Gluten plus 5/8 cup water, kneaded for five minutes, washed for ten minutes | 1 cup raw gluten |
| 2 cups whole wheat flour mixed with 2 cups Vital Wheat Gluten plus 2 cups water, kneaded for five minutes, washed for ten minutes | 3-3/4 cups raw gluten |
GLUTEN PRODUCTION: In making gluten from any kind of flour, it is necessary to knead the dough. Kneading is what develops the gluten. Twenty minutes is usually sufficient. There is no difference in the kneading time from one type of flour to another. The main difference in flours is the ratio of gluten to starch — the yield.
It is okay to soak the doughball in water for up to eight hours without losing any to disintegration. Many factors can affect the finished gluten, but it is not possible to "ruin" a batch no matter how many liberties you take. Hardness/softness of water, water/flour ratio, type of flour, water temperature, resting time of dough, and kneading time, are probably the most significant factors.
It takes fifteen minutes to wash all the starch out of a hunk of gluten, no matter if you are doing a wad the side of a tennis ball or one as big as a cantaloupe.
GLUTEN TIPS
-Raw gluten can only be stored frozen.
-Raw gluten holds for up to 3 - 4 hours in water, if frequently rewashed.
-If not kept cold, it will ferment.
-Raw gluten may be frozen but when thawed must be briefly rewashed right away. It will "melt" away. Gluten that has had seasoning worked into it should be cooked or frozen immediately or it will draw up into a ball with all the "goodies" on the outside. This does not happen with Vital Wheat Gluten.
-Do not try to boil raw gluten that has been seasoned. You will waste all the seasoning. Same applies to Vital Wheat Gluten.
-Boiled and kept in water, gluten will keep indefinitely, if you change the water every day.
-More kneading = denser product.
-For tough, chewy gluten, or to make ground gluten, use extra flour, knead longer, boil finished gluten 30 minutes in plain water, then drain, cool, squeeze and freeze. Freezing makes it more fibrous.
-For soft, tender gluten, simmer shreds in a broth containing margarine and seasoning.
-There are eight basic ways to process gluten, and these apply to Vital Wheat Gluten as well as "scratch" gluten: raw, fried; raw, baked; raw, fried, then simmered; boiled, fried, processed; boiled, frozen, thawed, fried, processed; roasted from raw state with oils and spices and seasonings; roasted flat, plain, for grinding (granola); and boiled, then ground, then fried, for use in sauces.
-Gluten, in its raw state, can be pan roasted into a delicious meal in about 20 minutes, using a seasoning broth. Raw gluten can be torn into chunks and baked for ten minutes in a hot oven for a crunchy snack.
One way to avoid a lot of deep frying is to bake cubed gluten in a slow oven until it is dried, brown, and hard. Used in stews and soups it will absorb flavor and soften up when added in the last five minutes of cooking. Try this with plain boiled as well as thawed gluten, for different textural results. Experiment with seasoned soy sauces. While your cubes are baking, be generous with the soy sauce, or try other sauces. Freeze your cubes in quantity and save time on recipes using fried cubes.
ONE WAY TO MAKE GROUND GLUTEN
Boil one pound of raw gluten in salted, oiled water for 45 minutes. When using Vital Wheat Gluten (VWG), reconstitute 1 cup VWG powder to 7/8 cup water for a denser product.
When the boiled gluten is cool enough to handle, cut it into small pieces and process through a grinder or food processor. A blender works well, also.
You can freeze it or use it immediately. At this point, you can season it with soy sauce or liquid smoke and bake it. You can also fry it in olive oil and spices before freezing.
ANOTHER WAY TO MAKE GROUND GLUTEN
Roll out raw gluten very thin. Bake at 400 degrees on well-oiled cookie sheet until brown and crispy. Roll again after baking to crumble it into pieces. Put the crumbled pieces into a cloth bag and pound it with a wooden mallet or heavy mug. Raw gluten will puff up in the oven; you will need to poke it to break the bubbles.
EASY BAKED BEANS
(Serves 5)
Ground gluten adds a unique touch to these baked beans.
1 cup fresh or frozen corn
1 cup cooked pinto beans
1 cup cooked wild rice
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped
1/2 Tablespoon oregano
2 Tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
1 cup ground gluten
1 cup canned tomatoes
1 cup V8 Juice or tomato sauce
1/2 Tablespoon paprika
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1 Tablespoon maple syrup
1/2 Tablespoon molasses
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all the ingredients together in a large bowl. Mix well, then pour into a large casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Serve warm.
Total calories per serving: 211
Fat: 1 gram
DEFINITION OF TERMS
BOILED GLUTEN: has not yet been frozen.
RAW GLUTEN: made from scratch or reconstituted Vital Wheat Gluten (VWG).
THAWED GLUTEN: has been boiled, cooled, frozen, then thawed.
GROUND GLUTEN: see method above.
DIRTY RICE
(Serves 4-6)
Serve as a main or side dish.
1 vegetable bouillon cube
3/4 cup hot water
1 cup shallots, chopped
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, shredded
1/4 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 pound ground gluten
2 cups cooked brown rice
Melt the bouillon cube in the hot water and set it aside. Meanwhile, sauté the shallots and oil in a large frying pan until transparent. Add the celery and carrots. Sauté 6 minutes longer. Stir in the mushrooms and stir-fry 1 more minute. Fold in the gluten, mixing well. Cover pan and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the cooked rice and pour the liquid bouillon quickly into skillet and cover immediately. Turn off the heat and do not uncover for 1 minute. Serve warm.
Total calories per serving: 280
Fat: 4 grams
PATATAS VASCONGADAS
(Serves 6)
This is a hearty potato dish your friends will enjoy.
6 large red potatoes, well scrubbed
Water
1/2 cup V8 Juice or tomato sauce
2 cloves, whole or 1/2 Tablespoon clove powder
1 tiny shallot, minced
1 cup ground gluten
1 Tablespoon chives
Cut potatoes into thick slices. Place the potatoes in a pot and cover them half way with water. Add V8 juice, cloves, and shallot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Simmer covered until potatoes are almost done. Add gluten and simmer until the potatoes are tender. Remove from heat. Sprinkle dish with chives before serving warm.
Total calories per serving: 270
Fat: <1 gram
STUFFED ONIONS
(Serves 6)
Here's a unique stuffed onion recipe.
1/8 cup soft tofu
1 cup cream style corn
1 Tablespoon paprika
1 cup celery, finely chopped
1 cup ground gluten
6 giant onions (preferably Vidalia)
1 cup vegetable broth
1 Tablespoon margarine
Blend tofu, corn, and paprika together in a large bowl. Add the celery and gluten and mix well. Set the bowl aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel the onions carefully. Boil onions in a pot with the vegetable broth for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the centers of each onion and chop very finely. Add chopped onion to the stuffing mixture that had been set aside.
Stuff onion with stuffing and arrange them in a baking dish. Dot onions with margarine and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Serve warm.
Total calories per serving: 141
Fat: 3 grams
STUFFED PEPPERS WITH SAUCE
(Serves 6 - two peppers each)
These peppers are stuffed with a mixture of gluten, vegetables, and quinoa (a delicious grain found in natural food stores and some supermarkets).
12 bell peppers
1 onion, chopped fine
1 Tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
3-1/2 cups ground gluten
1 teaspoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 cup celery, chopped
3 cups cooked quinoa
12 small button mushrooms, stems removed
Remove and dice tops of bell peppers. Clean peppers out and set them aside.
Sauté onion and olive oil in a frying pan for 3 minutes. Add garlic and continue stir-frying for 3 more minutes. Add gluten, parsley, basil, and celery. Cover frying pan and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes.
Combine fried mixture with the cooked quinoa in a large bowl. Stuff each pepper halfway with the mixture. Place one mushroom in center of each pepper. Fill peppers up with remaining mixture, packing tightly.
Place stuffed peppers in a roasting pan, standing up. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes until peppers start to change color. While the peppers are baking, prepare the following sauce.
STUFFED PEPPER SAUCE
Diced pepper tops from above
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon olive oil
Two 15-ounce cans whole tomatoes
6-ounce can V8 Juice or tomato sauce
1 small bayleaf
Pinch of oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
Sauté diced pepper tops, onion, garlic, and olive oil in a frying pan for 5 minutes. Crush tomatoes into saucepan. Add V8 juice and seasonings. Cover pan and simmer for 40 minutes, stirring frequently. Serve on soup plates with sauce poured over baked stuffed peppers.
Total calories per serving: 397
Fat: 6 grams
GLUTEN CACCIATORE
(Serves 5)
Non-vegetarian friends will love this hearty dish served over cooked brown rice or other grains.
1/2 pound thawed gluten, cut in 1/4-inch strips about an inch wide
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 cup tamari or soy sauce
2 large onions, peeled and slivered
3 large bell peppers, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 Tablespoon oil
One 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 cup button mushrooms
6-ounce can V8 Juice
1 large bay leaf
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon oregano
Stir-fry gluten and 1 Tablespoon oil in a large frying pan until brown. Drain well. Dip fried gluten, while still hot, into tamari or soy sauce in a shallow bowl. Drain.
Sauté onions, peppers, and 1 Tablespoon oil in a frying pan until onions are transparent.
Arrange layers in Dutch oven: gluten on bottom, then sautéed veggies, then tomatoes, and finally the mushrooms.
Bring V8 juice to boil in small pan with bay leaf. Remove bay leaf. Add boiled V8 juice to casserole. Sprinkle garlic, pepper, and oregano on top of casserole. Cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Serve casserole warm over cooked brown rice or other grain.
Total calories per serving: 194
Fat: 6 grams
Dez Figueira is a freelance writer from Miami Beach, Florida.
