Seitan

Prepare a recipe for raw gluten. Set the raw gluten aside while you prepare the broth. Heat both kinds of oil together in a large heavy kettle. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, and thyme. Saute over low heat until the onion is tender. Add the water and the tamari. Cover the kettle and let the broth simmer over low heat while you roll out the gluten. Using your hands and/or a rolling pin, roll out and stretch the gluten to a 1/4--1/2-inch thicknes. This takes a little bit of patience because the gluten has a tendency to spring back to its original shape. Using a sharp knife or scissors, cut your thin slab of gluten into 1/4 to 1/2-inch pieces. To cook the seitan, reduce the heat uner the broth, if necessary, so that it is just barely simmering. If the broth is too hot the seitan will become spongy, which is undesirable.) Drop the peices of raw gluten into the broth. Cover and cook over low heat for about 45 minutes, or until the seitan is firm. Check occasionally during the cooking to make sure that the broth isjust barely simmering and not boiling. Seitan may be used in place of meat in any stir-fry dish. It is also a delicious addition to a vegetable stew. The broth used to cook the setian may be thickened with arrowroot, cornstarch, flour or the wheat starch from the starch water. The thickened broth makes a delicious sauce to serve with the seitan or ober grain dishes. Seitan may be frozen in an airtight plastic container, either with or without its broth. Makes approximately 4 cups Variation: Before cooking the seitan, cut the thin slabs of raw gluten into large, steak-like pieces instead of small bite-sized peices. Cook in the broth until firm, as described above. These seitan "steaks" may be breaded and fried until brown on both sides. Serve them with a sauce.