Prepare seitan seafood as described below. Place seafood in a large bowl with all other ingredients and allow to marinate 2-3 days, stirring occasionally. Serve over rice, toasts, crackers, in pita, etc. The flavor really improves the longer it sits.

Seitan Seafood

Mix gluten powder with nutritional yeast; add cold water and stir until well-mixed. Add additional water if necessary, a tablespoon at a time. Knead until smooth and firm. Divide dough into smaller chunks, each maybe about the size of a child's fist. Allow dough to rest for 20 minutes or so for best results.

For "scallops":
Shape a chunk of gluten (or several) into a long roll about 1/2 - 1 inch (1.2 - 2.5 cm) in diameter. Cut into little rounds like very thin scallops (make the pieces at least half as small as you want them to be in the end). Mix the cooking broth ingredients and bring to a boil. Drop in the gluten rounds and simmer for 30 minutes uncovered. Strain out seafood.

For "squid" or "fish" or "shark fin":
Dampen a counter with a wet rag. Flatten out a gluten chunk into a very thin fillet shape by pulling and stretching it on the counter. Cut some into thin 1 x 2 inch (2.5 - 5 inch) rectangles, some into very thin julienne size pieces, some into 1/2 x 2 inch (1.2 - 5 cm) rectangles. You can leave some as fish-sized fillets too, though it won't work in a bite-sized ceviche dish. Mix broth ingredients and bring to a boil. Drop in seafood and simmer for 30 minutes uncovered. Strain out seafood.

For really weird "tentacles":
Follow instructions for "squid" above making 1 x 2 inch (2.5 x 5 cm)or 1/2 x 2 inch (1.2 x 5 cm) rectangles. Leaving top part of rectangle intact, cut tentacle strips down the length. Bring broth to a boil, drop in seafood and simmer for 30 minutes uncovered. Strain out seafood.

We threw a big Mexican themed pot-luck party for my husband's birthday and this was a fun appetizer I came up with. Kind of freaky realistic stuff, but I love mock meats. "Authentic Chinese Cuisine" by Bryanna Clark Grogan provided inspiration for the scallop and fish shapes, and the seafood broth. There are so many possibilities with just the basic seitan seafood recipe... stuffed "squid", stuffed "flounder", "clam" chowder... I can't wait until some of these party leftovers are gone and I can experiment again! :)