Super Happy Vegan Fried Chick’n!

Directions

• Make the seitan chick’n
• Put the chickpeas or white beans (400g tin) plus the liquid (aquafaba) into a litre measuring jug.
  Add the boiling water (200ml), lemon juice or vinegar (1 tbsp), dark soy sauce (1 tbsp), Dijon mustard (1/2 tsp) and olive oil (1 tbsp). Blend into a smooth paste using a stick / immersion hand blender (or you could use a food processor).
  
• Mix the nutritional yeast (2tbsp), Marigold vegan bouillon powder (1tsp), dried mushroom seasoning powder (1tsp), onion granules (2tsp), garlic granules (2tsp) and garlic salt (1/2 tsp) together and then grind to a fine powder, using a pestle and mortar, min food processor or herb grinder.
• Add the powered dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in the jug and blend with a stick / immersion hand blender again until completely combined.
• Add the vital wheat gluten (250g) to a food processor, put the lid on and turn on. Pour the blended mixture into the food processor while running, and process for 2 minutes exactly. This will create a elastic, stringy dough. Rest for 2 minutes, and then process again for 2 minutes.
• Now we are going to create fibres and a grain in the dough. Take the dough out of the processor and form into a smooth ball. Grasp the dough ball with both hands and stretch into a sausage shape. Allow one end to drop, and gently pull and stretch the dough with the other hand until about a metre long, shaking and wiggling to tease out the fibres. Try to keep an even constancy and thickness.
• Still holding in one hand, with the dough hanging down, gently twist it all along then length, then fold the dough in half, by bringing the bottom end up to the top. Now, holding both ends in one hand, gently twist again, then fold in half again. Repeat the twisting and folding process one more time until you have a short, thick sausage shape about 20cm long. Use your hands to press and form it until you have a smooth cylindrical ‘loaf’.
• Cut two lengths of baking paper, one 60cm long and one 80cm long. Roll tightly in the 60cm sheet first, twisting the ends to make a sausage and then secure with string on both sides. Flip over and repeat with the second baking paper sheet, wrapping tightly and securing both ends with string again.
• Place into metal steamer and steam for 50 minutes. Keep an eye on the water in the bottom of the steam, and top up if it gets low (usually around halfway through the cooking time). Take out the loaf, flip it over, and steam for a further 50 mins.
• Remove all the wrapping, slice the loaf in half lengthways, check the consistency is the same all the way through. It should be firm and springy to the touch. If it feels soft or slimy in the middle, wrap it again and steam for a further 30mins. Place on a cooling rack for 1 hour to rest.
• Make the coating
• Mix the plain flour (45g or 1/4 cup), panko breadcrumbs (15g or 1/4 cup), nutritional yeast (2tbsp), paprika (1tbsp), cumin (1tbsp), garlic granules (2tsp), garlic salt (1/2 tsp), onion granules (2tsp), chilli powder(1tsp), mushroom seasoning (1tsp) and vegan bouillon (1tsp) together and grind to a fine powder. Store in an airtight container and set aside for now.
• Prepare and cook the chick’n
• After one hour resting the loaf halves should have cooled and firmed up and contracted a little. Tear each half of the loaf into four strips lengthways. Then rip each of those into chunky pieces, you should get about 6 per strip (approx 48 pieces in total).
• Place the chick’n pieces and 3 tbsp of sunflower oil in a large bowl. Stir to coat evenly (you can shake the bowl, use a spoon, or just your hands!). Shake about 1/3 of the spice mix over the nuggets, then shake the bowl to distribute evenly. Repeat using with another 1/3 of the spice mix, and then the final 1/3, shaking each time to ensure all the nuggets have a lovely spicey coating! Drizzle with the remaining 1 tbsp of sunflower oil.
• For best results air fry. Add a singe layer of nuggets to your air fryer basket, and cook at 200C for 16 mins, shaking halfway through, until golden brown and delicious. If necessary repeat until all the nuggets are cooked.
• If you don’t have an air fryer you can oven bake instead. Pre-heat oven to 180C (fan), for 20 mins, shaking halfway through.
• Serve while hot with your favourite accompaniments. Perfect on their own with just a couple of dipping sauces, or in a wrap with crispy salad, in tacos or with fries and sweetcorn!