Vegan Buffalo Wings

Step 1

Drain the jackfruit and rinse under running water. Place on a clean, lint-free towel. Gather up the ends of the towel, hold it over the sink, and squeeze the jackfruit VERY well to remove as much brine as possible.

Step 2

Use your hands to separate the seeds and tough pieces from the stringy parts of the jackfruit (refer to process photos in the post above as needed). The seeds and tough parts can be discarded. Once you have a pile of the meaty, stringy parts of the jackfruit, make sure it is all well shredded and separated. Set aside.

Step 3

In a blender or food processor combine the wet ingredients. Blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Set aside.

Step 4

In a large mixing bowl whisk together the dry ingredients. Add the shredded jackfruit to the bowl, and toss well. Pour the blended tofu mixture into the mixing bowl, and stir to form a dough. Next use your hands to make sure all the dry ingredients are incorporated. It will be a fairly dry dough. NOTE: there's no need to intentionally knead the seitan.

Step 5

Place the dough ball on a cutting board and pat into a square shape. Cut into 4 pieces, then cut each of those into 5 somewhat equal-size pieces (you'll end up with 20 wings). Use your hands to shape each piece of dough into varied shapes like wings or large nuggets.

Step 6

Add about an inch of water to a pot with a steamer basket. Lightly spray the basket with oil (optional). Arrange the wings in a single layer. I use a 2-tiered steamer, and it's the perfect capacity for 20 wings. If using a smaller steamer, it's okay if the wings overlap a bit, or steam them in batches.

Step 7

Steam the wings for 30 minutes, flipping at the halfway point, then remove from heat.

Step 8

Preheat a large cast iron pan or other heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat. If using oil, add the tablespoon of oil to the pan. Cook the wings 2 to 3 minutes per side or until golden. Transfer to a plate.

Step 9

Turn off the heat. Add the butter to the hot pan and allow to melt. Add Franks' hot sauce and the cayenne and garlic powder, if using. Stir to combine. Return the wings to the pan, and toss to coat with sauce. Serve with vegan ranch and fresh celery and carrot sticks.