Five-Spice Seitan and Celery

Put the rice in a small saucepan with 1 1/2 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat so it bubbles gently but steadily; cover and cook, undisturbed, until the rice is tender and the water is absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes; when it’s ready, remove the pot from the heat and leave it covered. Rinse the bell pepper, celery, chile, and scallions. Core and chop the bell pepper; trim and chop the celery, keeping the leaves and stalks separate. Trim and chop the chile; chop the scallions, keeping the green and white parts separate. Peel and chop the ginger.

Line a plate with paper towels. Put 1 tablespoon oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add a few pieces of seitan and cook, working in batches so the pan isn’t overcrowded, until they are well browned and release easily from the pan, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn the seitan and cook the other side, adjusting the heat as necessary so it sears without burning, 2 or 3 minutes more. Transfer the seitan to the towels, taste it, and adjust the seasoning. Repeat with the remaining seitan.

Add the remaining tablespoon oil to the pan, swirl it around, and then add the white parts of the scallions, some or all of the chile (depending on your affinity for heat), the ginger, miso, five spice, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring until the mixture is fragrant, no more than 1 minute. Add the syrup and 1/4 cup water and stir until a sauce forms, just 30 seconds or so.

Add the celery stalks and bell pepper to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally until they’re brightly colored and coated in sauce, 1 or 2 minutes. Return the seitan to the pan along with the scallion greens and celery leaves and stir to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning of the seitan, adding more chile if you’d like, and serve it with the rice.