Just Lauren

I know meat substitutes can scare people, but there are a handful of “meat” dishes I’ve found that I really like, including this Mongolian seitan from Yup It’s Vegan. The key is to get seitan chunks (not the lunch meat style seitan). I suggest Upton’s Naturals Traditional Seitan in Chunks, found at Sprouts. Really the only problem with this dish is that it has a lot of carbs (seitan, which is made out of wheat, and rice). But I can’t give up my rice so the dish stays as is.

INGREDIENTS

• 16 oz seitan chunks (Upton’s comes in 8oz packages)
• 2 tsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic (3 cloves)
• 1/3 tsp Chinese five spice (optional)
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• Loose 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 2 TB cold water
• Sesame seeds
• 2-3 chives, diced
• 2-3 crowns of broccoli, chopped
• 2 servings white rice, steamed

DIRECTIONS

• Make your rice in a rice cooker.
• Chop up the seitan into bite sized pieces as needed.
• Make the sauce: heat the vegetable oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the ginger and garlic and stir. After 30 seconds, add the five spice (if using) and red pepper flakes, and cook for 1 minute.
• Add the soy sauce and brown sugar, reduce the heat to medium-low, and let simmer until the sugar is dissolved and slightly reduced, about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• During this time, warm up your seitan in a separate skillet. Cook your broccoli as you desire (steamed in microwave, roasted, etc).
• Whisk together the cornstarch and cold water, then add it to the saucepan and stir. Cook for 1-2 more minutes, until the sauce becomes thicker. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and keep simmering gently until ready to add to the seitan.
• Once the seitan is heated through (about 5-7 minutes), your broccoli is steamed, and your rice is ready, serve! You decide if you want to toss the seitain in the sauce or if you let people put their own sauce on their own plates. Sprinkle with chives and sesame seeds.

Serves: 3-4 people

Leftovers: Really good!