My mum used to make a beef version of this seitan teriyaki when I was growing up, and I have always loved the strong sweet and salty taste of the sauce. Â Since fried seitan has quite a similar texture to beef, I decided to have a go at making up a vegetarian version of my childhood favourite.
The one thing taking away from the authenticity of the recipe is my inability to find a decent vegetarian fish sauce.  In the end I decided to just go with regular Tamari sauce, which tastes great, but is obviously missing a bit of the tangy and pungent effect that a fish sauce would have provided.  If anyone knows of, or ever finds a decent vegetarian or vegan fish sauce, please let me know; I’d love to try it.
I also like to sprinkle over sesame seeds for extra crunch, but that is optional. Serve it over rice and veggies for a balanced meal.
Make the marinade by combining the water, soy sauce, brown sugar and mirin in a large, shallow Tupperware container or a wide and shallow bowl.
Add the seitan strips, mixing well with the marinade. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
To make the teriyaki sauce, simply add the honey, soy sauce, mirin and sake to a small sauce pan and boil over medium heat until the sauce is glossy and slightly viscous. It should start to acquire a caramelized taste, but be careful not to burn it.
Heat the oil in a heavy frying pan or wok over medium-high heat until very hot, but not smoking.
Who knew seitan could look so good??
Apparently, this chef did!