Faking It In December 2006, the US Food and Drug Administration declared food from cloned animals safe for human consumption, adding that special labelling for such food was unnecessary – despite surveys indicating that consumers are uncomfortable with the idea of cloned livestock. One year earlier, media flocked to interview scientists and students who were working on “growing” meat in laboratories with tissue cells taken from live animals. Of the two possibilities, the latter is much kinder to animals because it doesn't involve much, if any, slaughter. The cell culture from the original animal just keeps growing more and more flesh. However, if you also want to consider the effects of these foods on your health, it might be better to reject both these options and instead choose mock meats, which have been around for centuries. With the recent surge of interest in vegetarianism, many people have been exposed to mock meats for the first time, but meat substitution itself is certainly not a new concept. The first mock meats were created more than 2,000 years ago in Buddhist monasteries in China. Buddhism prohibits the taking of life, and these early monks were therefore vegetarians. However, in the tradition of Asian hospitality, they also sought to cater to the tastes of their guests. So the art of meat substitution was born. Gluten, TVP and Ready-to-Eat Mock Meat These days, ready-to-eat mock meat – food that's made from non-animal sources such as soya beans, wheat or even seaweed and processed to imitate the texture, flavour and appearance of animal flesh – is readily available. Meat substitutes can be used in any dish that calls for meat. Gluten, one popular meat substitute, is very inexpensive and is available in many supermarkets and health-food stores. These stores also sell textured vegetable protein (TVP). When working with TVP, you should first submerge it in warm water for at least 15 minutes. Once it has expanded to twice the size it was to begin with, drain the water and squeeze out any excess moisture. Sometimes the instructions on the bag will tell you to fry the TVP in oil and soya sauce before adding anything else – such as vegetables or curry – but feel free to experiment and figure out what works best for you. Eat Out or Make Your Own Of course, if you'd rather eat out, you can find plenty of fabulous restaurants that serve delicious mock meats. Many vegetarian restaurants serve up delicious fakes – everything from soya hot dogs to scrumptious veggie burgers! And if you're feeling really adventurous, you can even make your own gluten. The ingredients are cheap, and you don't need any high-tech equipment. You'll need equal amounts of whole-wheat flour, unbleached white flour and cold water; I recommend starting with 3_ cups of each ingredient. Place both kinds of flour in a large mixing bowl and stir well. While stirring, gradually pour enough water into the flour to form a sticky dough. Punch the dough with your fists, kneading for 15 minutes between punches to develop the gluten. Then cover the dough with more cold water and place in the refrigerator. After at least 30 minutes, transfer the dough from the bowl to a colander. Carefully knead the dough under cold running water to rinse out the starch and bran. The gluten will start to stick together after several minutes. Rinse, alternating between room-temperature water and cold water, while kneading the dough until it has a firm, rubbery texture. You've got gluten! A Final Word When meat substitutes are prepared and cooked properly, you will end up with mouth-watering results. Don't be discouraged if your first attempt isn't perfect; the more familiar you become with mock meats, the more your cooking techniques will improve. You'll wow everyone with mock-meat meals that are cheaper, healthier and tastier than flesh-based meals. ** Jason Baker is the director of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Asia. To get involved with PETA's work in Egypt, visit PETAAsiaPacific.com. BM
