Seitan Burger

Inspired by Indonesian flavors, this dish is a delight for peanut lovers.

Creamy peanut sauce, a.k.a. satay sauce, spiked with coconut and tamarind is the perfect companion to bean sprouts and spicy seitan. Seitan is a by-product of yeast. Here it’s used like an Asian version of faux pulled pork rather than formed into a firmer patty. It’s scrumptious with savory sauces like satay or other curries. You’ll find seitan in Asian supermarkets or natural foods stores. You can easily substitute seitan with other ingredients such as tofu, tempeh, roasted vegetables, or beans.

Seitan Burger [Vegan]

Ingredients

For the Patties:

• 1/4 cup (60 ml) soy sauce or tamari
• 2 tablespoons (30 g) Sriracha
• 14 ounces (400 g) seitan in brine, drained
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• 1 cup plus 2 teaspoons (250 ml) Satay Sauce (see right)
• 4 buns, halved and lightly toasted

For the Satay Sauce:

• 3 1/2 ounces (100 g) raw peanuts
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• 2 banana shallots, finely sliced
• 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons (200 ml) coconut milk or cream of choice
• 1 3/4 ounces (50 g) desiccated coconut
• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) soy sauce or tamari
• 2 tablespoons (18 g) coconut sugar
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• Juice of 1 lime
• Pinch cayenne pepper

For the Toppings:

• Fresh cilantro leaves
• Cucumber slices
• Fresh bean sprouts
• Roughly crushed peanuts
• Finely sliced scallions or red onion

Preparation

For the Satay Sauce:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Spread the peanuts on a rimmed baking sheet and roast for 5 minutes, shaking and tossing the nuts after 3 minutes. Transfer to a food  processor, add the salt, and process the peanuts into a smooth butter.
2. Place a skillet over medium-high heat and add a drizzle of vegetable oil. Add the shallots and fry until translucent. Stir in the remaining ingredients and the peanuts and let the sauce simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.
3. Refrigerate in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.

To Make the Burgers:

1. In a shallow dish, mix the soy sauce and Sriracha. Toss with the seitan in a bowl, making sure the seitan is well coated with the Sriracha mixture.
2. Place a skillet over medium-high heat and add a drizzle of vegetable oil. Fry the seitan slices for 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden.
3. Add the Satay Sauce and fry together for 2 minutes.
4. Assemble the burgers with the sauce between the warm buns and layer with cilantro, cucumber, bean sprouts, peanuts, and scallions.

Notes

For the Satay Sauce: You can skip the peanut roasting step by using 3 1/2 ounces (about 6 heaping tablespoons, or 100 g) peanut butter instead of whole peanuts.

https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/seitan-burger-vegan/