Place the vital wheat gluten, olive oil, water, miso, garlic, nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, and ichimi togarashi into a food processor.

Process the mixture for a full 90 seconds until a sort of crazy-looking, stringy dough forms.

Divide the dough into 8 portions and let them rest for 5 minutes on a clean, lightly oiled baking pan.

Once the gluten has relaxed, wrap each piece around a bamboo skewer to form a natural, slightly chunky-looking cylinder.

Prepare a steamer and bring water to a boil. Steam the skewers over medium-low heat for 30 minutes. Make sure that any part of the seitan resting on the surface of the steamer has parchment paper underneath to prevent sticking. Remove and allow to cool slightly.

While the skewers are steaming, prepare the tare sauce. In a small saucepan, whisk together the tamari, mirin, sake, brown sugar, white pepper and cornstarch. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 4-6 minutes until the sugar dissolves and the sauce thickens slightly. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C) or a grill to high heat. Dip or brush the steamed seitan skewers with the prepared tare sauce, ensuring they are well-coated. Arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet or grill. Roast for 8-10 minutes, turning halfway through. If grilling, turn 90 degrees every 2-3 minutes until there are light char marks all around the yakitori.

When finished cooking, brush the yakitori with more sauce for a glazed-looking finish.

Transfer the skewers to a serving platter. Garnish with thinly sliced scallion and a sprinkle of shichimi togarashi, if desired.