Equipment:
- Big bowl for mixing
- spatula to flip
- sauté pan for flour toasting
- flat or bamboo steamer for steaming seitan or slow cooker
- large flat braising pan for water under the bamboo steamer
- foil or corn husks or leaves to line bamboo steamer
- covered bowl or plate for storing burgers
Ingredients:
1/2 cup TVP (texturized vegetable protein, found in most health food stores)
1/3 cup water
2 TBL soy sauce or tamari
1/3 cup white or whole wheat flour
3 TBL onion powder
1 cup gluten flour
2 1/2 TBL vegan margarine (melted) or refined coconut oil (melted)
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| no sugar added, 100% pomegranate |
1/2 cup 100% pomegranate juice (yes, I used pomegranate juice and they turned out fantastic. If you do not have this you can substitute water, although I believe the rich sour / non-sweet taste of the juice had something to do with the authentic taste of the burger)
1/2 cup water
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp course black pepper
1 tsp brewers yeast (if you do not have this, it would not be the end of the world)
Method…, or link to slow cooker method
Rehydrate TVP in water and soy sauce by bringing to boil, then turn down to simmer for around 1 minute. set aside
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| toasted flour |
FOCUS...Combine white flour (not the gluten flour) and onion powder in sauté pan, on high heat and constantly flip and mix, on the heat and off of the heat, until nice and brown. (Very important, this will BURN to ash in a second if you are not paying attention) You will smell the smoke and brown/burnt flavor of the flour and onion, this is the flavor of the burger. set aside
Get your steamer ready to go.
Wash Hands
Place the rehydrated TVP, browned flour / onion and the rest of the ingredients in mixing bowl and mix with your hands very well. This mixture seems dry, but works. If you add too much additional water the burgers get string like (i'm not sure why, but they do)
Form small flat burgers with your hands and place onto the steamer, cover and let steam around 25-30 minutes, each side. Flip with spatula and let the other side steam around 25-30 minutes, watching the water level in the bottom pan. Seitan should always be overcooked, never undercooked.
When removed from steamer, place burgers on a plate and let cool to room temp, drizzle olive oil on top and bottom, cover airtight, place in frig. Prepare directly on outdoor grill, grill pan fry or panini press. Probably best to use medium heat for grilling or frying the burgers, they can burn fast due to the toasted flour. Note that the patties are very dense and need to cook quite a long time to be hot all the way through.
Makes around 6 medium size burger patties. Enjoy on a bun with all the fixings.
