Recipe Archives->Vegetarian->Gluten 05

Raw Gluten

7 c vital wheat gluten 
3 c water

Pour the water into a large bowl. Add about 3 cups of the flour
and mix well. Beatthe dough for about 100 strokes, or until it
becomes elastic. Gradually add enough of the remaining flour to
make a kneadable dough.

Turn the dough out onto agenerously floured surface and knead in
enough flour to make a firm and nonsticky dough. Knead the dough
vigorously for 20 minutes. If kneading becomes too difficult for
you, try pounding the dough with a rolling pin or with your fists.

Continue kneading and/or pounding the dough until it becomes very
smooth and elastic. To make sure that the dough is kneaded enough,
break off a small piece and wash it. If it is sufficiently kneaded,
the starch will wash away, leaving the elastic gluten.

The next step is washing or rinsing the dough. Fill a large bowl
with room-temperature water (use the same bowl you used to mix the
dough). Place the bowl in the sink and place the dough in the bowl.
Work the dough by rubbing it and sqsueezing it between your hands
with a motion similar to that of washing clothes.  Don't worry if
the dough falls apart, because it will come back together as it is
washed.

When the water becomes very cloudy, pour (with the dough) through
a colander. If you want to save the starch water, place an empty
bowl under the colander to catch it. Repeat this squeezing and
rinsing process until the rinse water is practically clear and the
dough resembles a large, elastic wad of chewing gum.  You now have
raw gluten.

Use the raw gluten to make seitan.

Makes  1 1/2 to 2 cups

Printable version: gluten05.txt.