Seitan stew (bò kho chay)

I finally learned how to make seitan to have the right taste and texture. I have tried many ways: steam, bake, boil; they turned out to be okay, but the best way is to cook it in the crock pot overnight. This is from a very famous Vietnamese dish, beef stew, that I used seitan to substitue for the beef.

Makes 4 servings

3 lemon grass stalks, use the handle of a knife or something heavy to crust each stalk, cut into inch-long
6 bay leaves
6 anise stars
2 cloves
10 pepper corns
1 4-inch long cinnamon stick

1 m table spoon canola oil

4 carrot, cut in half length wise then cut into 2-inch long
4 celery stalks, cut into 2-inch long
1 red bell pepper, cut into 2x2 inch pieces

1 gallon water
5 table spoons sugar or equivalent sweetener
2 1/2 table spoon salt
3 oz tomato paste

1 box of 10 oz vital wheat gluten (can be bought in whole foods in flour section)

1. Toast all the spices on medium in the toaster oven.
2. In a 6 quart pot, add oil, then add spices, stir until fragrant.
3. Add carrots, saute 1 minute.
4. Add celery, saute 1 minute.
5. Add pepper, saute 1 minute.
6. Add salt, sugar, stir well for about 2 minutes.
7. Add water, bring to a boil, transfer to a crock pot cook on high.
8. Take about 2 1/2 cups of the broth above, cool to touch to make seitan.
9. In a big bowl, add gluten flour, pour the broth to the bowl, mix well. Make into a roll, let it rest for 30 minutes.
10. From one end of the seitan roll, pull out a very thin piece, roll it to size of a thumb, cut it off from the seitan roll, add to the crock pot. Continue to do so for the rest of the seitan. Stir frequently.
11. Add tomato paste, cook on low over night or 8 hours.
12. Served with toasted French bread or with flat rice noodles, bean sprouts and basil leaves.