Seitan Shawarma Plate

• 65 g Vital wheat gluten (8 tbsp)
• 10 g Soy sauce (⅔ tbsp)
• 55 g Water for the dough (¼ cup)
• 1.5 g Ground cumin (¾ tsp)
• 1 g Ground coriander (½ tsp)
• 0.8 g Ground turmeric (¼ tsp)
• 1.5 g Paprika (⅔ tsp)
• 0.4 g Ground cinnamon (⅛ tsp)
• 1 g Garlic powder (⅓ tsp)
• 400 g Water for simmering (1⅔ cups)
• 8 g Olive oil (⅔ tbsp)
• 70 g Nonfat Greek yogurt (⅓ cup)
• 8 g Tahini (½ tbsp)
• 10 g Lemon juice (⅔ tbsp)
• 3 g raw (1 clove) Garlic
• 80 g raw Tomato (2.8 oz raw)
• 70 g raw Cucumber (2.5 oz raw)
• 20 g raw Red onion (0.7 oz raw)
• 5 g raw Parsley (1⅓ tbsp chopped)
• 40 g Hummus (1.4 oz)
• 55 g (1 pita) Whole-wheat pita

You'll need: Mixing bowl, Large pot, Nonstick skillet, Small bowl, Knife and cutting board.

Method

1. Knead the seitan

   Stir the gluten with the cumin, coriander, turmeric, paprika, cinnamon and garlic powder. Add the soy sauce and the water for the dough, and knead for 2 minutes into a springy dough. Pull it into 2 flat pieces.

   Knead briefly. Too much kneading makes seitan rubbery.

2. Simmer the seitan

   Bring the water for simmering to a bare simmer in the pot and add the seitan. Cook gently for 20 minutes, turning once, until it swells and feels firm. Lift it out and let it cool for 5 minutes, then slice thin.

   Keep it at a gentle simmer. A hard boil makes the seitan spongy.

3. Make the sauce and salad

   Whisk the yogurt with the tahini, lemon juice and minced garlic. Dice the tomato and cucumber, slice the red onion thinly, chop the parsley, and toss them together.

   Add a little water to the sauce if too thick; it should drizzle.

4. Crisp the slices

   Heat the oil in the skillet on medium-high. Fry the seitan slices for 4–5 minutes, turning once, until the edges are browned and crisp. Warm the pita in the pan for 30 seconds a side.

   Give the slices space. Crowded pieces steam instead of crisping.

5. Plate it

   Spread the hummus on the plate. Pile on the seitan and the salad, drizzle with the tahini yogurt sauce, and serve with the pita.

   Eat it wrapped in the pita, like a real shawarma.

Swaps

• Vital wheat gluten → Extra-firm tofu, 250 gLighter; press and crisp it in the pan, protein drops to about 25 g. For gluten-free, also use tamari and a gluten-free flatbread.
• Whole-wheat pita → Large lettuce leavesAbout 130 kcal fewer, no gluten from the bread.