Turtle Bay Style Vegan Motherclucker Burger

3 hours (best with an overnight chill on the seitan)

1. Mix vital wheat gluten(250 g), nutritional yeast(25 g), garlic powder(1.5 tsp), onion powder(1 tsp), sweet paprika(1 tsp), jerk seasoning(1.5 tsp), allspice(0.5 tsp), dried thyme(0.5 tsp), ground ginger(0.25 tsp), black pepper(0.25 tsp) and salt(0.5 tsp) thoroughly.
2. Whisk together cold vegetable stock(170 g), light soy sauce(25 g), neutral oil(15 g), tahini(10 g) and liquid smoke(0.5 tsp)
3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until a dough forms.
4. Knead for 2 minutes to 3 minutes only. You want the gluten developed enough to hold together, but don't turn it into an extremely dense rubbery seitan.
5. Rest for 10 minutes.
6. Pull the dough apart into irregular strips rather than simply forming four patties. Take a handful of strips and lay them roughly parallel, then compress them together into a flattened piece. Don't completely homogenise it; you want visible layers and strands. Make four pieces roughly the size of your burger buns.
7. Wrap each piece loosely in baking parchment and then foil, forming a flattened chicken-filleted shape.
8. Steam in a steamer for 30 minutes.
9. Remove and allow to cool completely.
10. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight. Chilling the steamed seitan makes it considerably easier to bread without it falling apart.
11. Whisk together unsweetened plant milk(100 ml), lime juice(1 tbsp), hot sauce(1 tbsp), soy sauce(1 tbsp), jerk seasoning(1.5 tsp), allspice(0.5 tsp), garlic powder(0.5 tsp), onion powder(0.5 tsp), dried thyme(0.25 tsp), ground ginger(0.25 tsp) and cayenne(0.0625 tsp).
12. Place the chilled seitan pieces in the marinade and leave for 20 minutes to 30 minutes. Don't leave them overnight; they'll absorb too much liquid and become harder to bread.
13. Mix plain flour(120 g), cornflour(60 g), baking powder(1 tsp), garlic powder(1 tsp), onion powder(1 tsp), sweet paprika(1 tsp), jerk seasoning(0.5 tsp), allspice(0.25 tsp), black pepper(0.5 tsp), white pepper(0.5 tsp), salt(0.5 tsp) and cayenne(0.25 tsp) in a wide bowl.
14. In another bowl, mix unsweetened plant milk(120 ml), hot sauce(1 tsp) and jerk marinade(1 tsp).
15. Take a marinated seitan piece and dredge it dry, then wet, then dry.
16. On the second dry coating, really press the flour mixture into the surface. This creates the craggy pieces of batter that give you a proper fried-chicken exterior.
17. For an even more aggressive crust, flick 1 to 2tablespoons of the wet coating mixture into the dry flour and rub it through with your fingers before coating. This creates little clumps of seasoned flour which become crispy nuggets on the outside.
18. Heat neutral frying oil(some) in a frying pan to 170–175°C.
19. Fry the seitan pieces individually for 3 minutes to 4 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Look for a deep golden-brown crust, a very crisp exterior and a hot centre.
20. Transfer the fried pieces to a wire rack rather than kitchen paper.
21. Season immediately with salt(0.0625 tsp).
22. Don't put the fried pieces directly onto a plate; the steam trapped underneath will soften the crust. A wire rack keeps the bottom crisp.
23. Mix vegan mayonnaise(120 g), jerk seasoning(1.5 tsp), lime juice(1 tsp), maple syrup(1 tsp), light soy sauce(0.5 tsp), allspice(0.25 tsp), garlic powder(0.25 tsp), cayenne(0.0625 tsp) and hot sauce(0.5 tsp).
24. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
25. Taste before assembling. You want creaminess, gentle jerk spice, slight sweetness and lime.
26. If it tastes too spicy, add more vegan mayonnaise(some) and a tiny amount of maple syrup(some).
27. Mix vegan BBQ sauce(100 g), jerk seasoning(1 tsp), lime juice(0.5 tsp), brown sugar(0.5 tsp), allspice(0.25 tsp) and cayenne(0.0625 tsp) in a small saucepan.
28. Warm gently for 2 minutes, stirring until completely combined.
29. Taste and adjust. You want a sweet, smoky BBQ flavour with a subtle Jamaican spice character rather than a strongly jerk-flavoured sauce.
30. Allow to cool before serving.
31. Mash ripe avocados(2) roughly with lime juice(15 ml) and salt(0.25 tsp). Don't blend it; you want small pieces of avocado remaining so it feels substantial in the burger.
32. Thinly slice red onion(1).
33. Mix white vinegar(60 ml), water(60 ml), sugar(1 tbsp) and salt(0.5 tsp), then pour over the sliced onion.
34. Leave for at least 30 minutes, preferably 1 hour.
35. Drain thoroughly before putting the onions in the burger.
36. Wash and thoroughly dry wild rocket(60 g).
37. Keep refrigerated until assembly.
38. Use soft brioche-style vegan buns(4).
39. Toast the cut sides in a frying pan with a tiny amount of vegan butter(some). You want them golden on the inside and soft everywhere else. Don't toast them until crunchy; the bun needs to compress around the fried seitan.
40. Spread a tablespoon of the mild jerk mayo over each bottom bun.
41. Add a small handful of wild rocket(some).
42. Place one piece of the fried seitan on top.
43. Add 2tablespoons of the smashed avocado.
44. Add 1 to 2tablespoons of the pink onions.
45. Drizzle a tablespoon of the jerk BBQ sauce over the fried seitan.
46. Finish with another half tablespoon of the mild jerk mayo and place the top bun over the burger.
47. Give the top bun a gentle press. Don't squash it flat.
48. Serve immediately.
49. For the best texture, assemble the burger immediately after frying the seitan. The contrast between the hot crispy coating, cool avocado, creamy jerk mayo, peppery rocket, sharp pink onions and sweet BBQ sauce is central to the burger.
50. Serve with skin-on fries(some) tossed with salt(some) immediately after frying.
51. On day 1, make and steam the seitan, then chill overnight. Make the jerk mayo, jerk BBQ sauce and pink onions.
52. On day 2, marinate the seitan, bread to order, fry, toast the bun, smash the avocado, dress the rocket and assemble.
53. The seitan, sauces and onions can all be prepared ahead, meaning the actual burger takes only 5 minutes to 7 minutes to finish.
54. Don't compromise on cornflour(some) in the coating; it gives you that brittle crunch.
55. Don't compromise on the mild jerk mayo and jerk BBQ sauce combination; Turtle Bay's own description identifies both as components of the Motherclucker.
56. Season the seitan itself with Jamaican/jerk spices; Turtle Bay describes the patty as a chicken-style vegan patty "in Jamaican spices".
57. Use wild rocket(some) rather than ordinary lettuce for the peppery flavour.
58. Use pink onions rather than cucumber pickles for the sharp, acidic element.
59. Don't compromise on chilled, fibrous seitan; don't fry freshly steamed seitan because the texture won't be nearly as convincing.