House of Seitan in Indiranagar is a must try for vegans and here's why

This diner is the only one in the country to design a whole menu, with burgers, sandwiches and salads, around the meat substitute, seitan 
A seitan burger
A seitan burger

As we sit down to lunch at House of Seitan, we ask a natural question to the owner of a vegan restaurant, “are you vegan?” Surprisingly, Roma Roy Choudhury is not. But this has not hindered her enthusiasm towards the ingredient, seitan. “My husband is vegetarian and we were both trying the Keto diet. It’s then that I realised how few sources of protein there are for vegans and vegetarians,” she says. This is what made her start House of Seitan, a restaurant that uses seitan as the core ingredient in all its recipes.

Seitan is a wheat-based product, that has been used in Chinese cooking as a meat substitute since the 6th century, especially by the Buddhists. The ingredient is very high in protein (a quick Google search says 100 gms of seitan has 75 gms of protein) and low on carbs. The ingredient is not usually available in India, save a few Chinese restaurants that serve mock duck dishes. House of Seitan is the only restaurant in the country to focus on the ingredient. Roma makes her seitan on her own, and says the challenge is to get the texture right.

The restaurant is a small QSR type set-up on the busy 12th Main, Indira Nagar. Apart from two dishes that use ghee and honey, it is completely vegan. We started our meal with the Chickpea and Flax Seed Salad. Dressed with a Tahini-based Arabian vinaigrette, the salad had bite-sized chunks of seitan, raisins and greens. While the flavours were balanced, it was nothing to write home about. Some other salads at the restaurant are Broccoli and Apple Salad, and the Raw Papaya and Vermicelli salad. 

The next dish we tried, the Sourdough Sandwich with Peri-Peri Seitan, was our favourite. The slight tanginess of the sourdough and the caramelised onion relish added a another dimension to the well-dressed seitan. The HoS special Shallot Scapie (a fresh salsa made with raw mangoes), was served on the side.   
Another sandwich we tried was the Pita Pocket — fluffy pitas stuffed with smoked paprika mayo and seitan dressed in a Balinese sauce. The almond-based sauce is creamy and mildly spicy, and pairs well with the dressing.
House of Seitan also offers smoothies and fresh juices. Their smoothies are made with yoghurt or vegan alternatives, as per the diners wish. We tried the Cucumber and Celery Drink. With a sprinkle of basil seeds, this one was light and refreshing. 

We were really impressed with the ingredient itself, and also the versatile ways in which House of Seitan has used it. The restaurant is a must-try for vegans and anyone who loves to explore all things new and interesting.


Rs. 500 for two. At Indira Nagar
 anagha@newindianexpress.com
 @anaghzzz

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