Seitan Asada (Citrus-Marinated Seitan)
Also called seitan asada tacos, vegan carne asada
Knotted seitan marinated in orange, lime and garlic, chopped or shredded and crisped hard in a hot pan, for tacos or nachos.
- Makes
- about 12 tacos, or nachos for 4
Inspired by the seitan asada at Mis Tacones, Portland
Ingredients
Pan sizes, times and temperatures in the method are not scaled.
Marinade
Seitan
To serve
Method
Make the marinade. Blend all the marinade ingredients. Set aside ¼ cup before any of it touches the seitan, for drizzling at the table.
Slice and marinate. Slice the Washed-Flour Seitan against the grain, about ½ inch thick. Marinate 4 hours to overnight.
Wipe and chop. Lift the slices out and wipe most of the marinade off them, back into the bowl. Chop them into rough ½-inch bits or shred them along the grain with your fingers or two forks.
Crisp. Heat a cast-iron pan or griddle until ripping hot and add the neutral oil (14 g1 tbsp). Add the seitan in a single layer, in two batches if needed; a crowded pan steams the seitan instead of building a crisp crust. Leave it alone 2 to 3 minutes, toss once, and give it another 2 minutes.
Glaze. At the very end, splash in a few tablespoons of the marinade from the bowl and toss for 30 seconds. Taste, and add a splash of soy sauce if it needs more depth.
Serve on tacos, in warm tortillas, or scattered over nachos. Top with crema or cashew crema, pico de gallo, cilantro and a squeeze of lime.
Notes
- Chop or shred after marinating, not before. Small pieces sitting in marinade get waterlogged and steam instead of browning.
- If it goes wrong. Spongy means the seitan was under-washed or not chilled overnight. Rubbery means it was washed until the water ran clear. Bland in the center means the dough needs more seasoning next time.