Vegan Doner Kebabs
Who said going plant-based means that you can’t have vegan doner kebabs anymore? Use vital wheat gluten flour to recreate your cheat day favourites.
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Picture the scene. It’s Saturday night and you fancy something a bit different, something tasty… something a bit naughty. How about a kebab? Made from seitan, of course. No animal cruelty required! And none of that weird ‘what’s actually in it’ brown meat.
What is seitan?
Seitan originated in China in the 6th Century and it is popular across Asia, especially in Buddhist communities that do not eat meat.
Pronounced say-tan (not satan!), seitan is a high protein meat replacement made from vital wheat gluten. Vital wheat gluten looks like white flour and, when mixed with water, steamed and then cooled, has a spongey, firm texture making it perfect to slice or chop. You can buy vital wheat gluten online or in health food shops.
This amazing faux meat has a very mild flavour but you can add whatever flavourings you like, to replicate duck, chicken, pork or beef. This recipe uses garlic, onion, paprika and cumin for that classic kebab flavour, but you could add a vegan chicken seasoning or maple syrup and smoked paprika for a ‘ham’-like flavouring.
Is seitan healthy to eat?
It sure is! Not only is it high in protein, keeping you fuller for longer and supporting healthy muscles, but it also contains iron, selenium and calcium. It’s also low in carbohydrates and calories.
Tip: If you don’t like chilli sauce, serve your kebab with garlic mayonnaise instead. Simply add a little crushed fresh garlic to vegan mayonnaise.
You can also make a big batch of seitan and use it in sandwiches, curries or stir fries throughout the week.
Total Time: 1 hour and 20 minutes
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Servings: 6
Rating:
Total Time: 1 hour and 20 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients
Method
Ingredients
(Servings: 6)
- For the kebabs
- 20 20 g vital wheat gluten
- 0.33333333333333 0.33333333333333 tsp garlic powder
- 0.33333333333333 0.33333333333333 tsp onion powder
- 0.33333333333333 0.33333333333333 tsp paprika
- 0.16666666666667 0.16666666666667 tbsp ground cumin
- 0.16666666666667 0.16666666666667 tsp chilli flakes
- 0.16666666666667 0.16666666666667 tsp sea salt
- 0.16666666666667 0.16666666666667 tsp black pepper
- 0.33333333333333 0.33333333333333 tbsp soy sauce
- 0.66666666666667 0.66666666666667 tbsp olive oil
- water, enough to make a spongy dough
- To serve
- 1 1 pitta breads
- shredded iceberg lettuce
- shredded red cabbage
- shredded white cabbage
- 1/2 lemon juice
- sliced tomato
- sliced onion
- hot chilli sauce
Method
- To make the kebab mixture, add the dry ingredients to a large bowl and mix well. Make a well in the centre and add the liquid ingredients. Stir everything together really well to combine.
- Turn the dough out onto a flat surface or board and knead well for at least 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth and springy.
- Lay a sheet of foil on top of a sheet of greaseproof paper on a flat surface. Lay the kebab dough on top and roll it into a large sausage shape, twisting at the ends to seal
- Place the kebab in a large pot, cover it with water and bring it to a simmer. Cover with a lid and cook for 1 hour, checking the pot doesn’t boil dry. After cooking time is up, leave to cool in the foil wrapping.
- Put the red and white cabbages in 2 separate bowls. Sprinkle each liberally with salt and a squeeze of lemon juice, and set aside to soften slightly.
- When ready to serve, finely slice the kebab and stir fry briefly in a little oil over high heat, until piping hot and starting to become slightly crisp at the edges. Pile the pittas high with the lettuce, tomato, onion and cabbage, top with the kebab slices, and a generous helping of chilli sauce.
Ready for seconds? Discover these delicious vegan kebab recipes!
