This is a simple vegetarian recipe with a south Indian touch. As we all know soya chunks are rich in protein. The challenge is making this healthy meal tasty. So after experimenting with a number of combinations, I was happy with this recipe which the family enjoyed and I wanted to share it with all of you. The tamarind and the masalas combine to give this dish a unique tangy-zesty mouth feel. The size of the soya chunks makes a lot of difference and I use the mini version of soya chunks. This allows the curry to seep into the soya making them taste great. You can also cut larger chunks into half after they have softened and expanded. Remember to squeeze out the water from the soya chunks after soaking. The soya chunks can be thrown directly into the curry and cooked. Alternatively, one can give a light coating to the soya chunks and shallow fry. This is a versatile option for lunch and dinner and goes well with roti, naan, appams or paratha. It’s a dish which you can build into your family cooking routine. It’s a great combine of health and taste. Happy Fooding Around!
Print
Prep Time:
Print
PinDescription
Zesty Protein Blast
Ingredients
- 2 cups of mini Soya chunks or nuggets
- 1 ½ Tsp Coriander seeds
- 1 Tsp Cumin seeds
- 1 tsp Fennel Seed
- 2 – 3 dry whole Red Chillies ( according to spice intake)
- 10 – 12 whole Black Peppercorns
- 4 Cardamoms
- 1 inch Cinnamon
- 3 Cloves
- 2 Onions, chopped
- 3 cloves Garlic, finely chopped or made into paste
- ¾ inch Ginger, finely chopped or made into paste
- ½ Tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 large Tomato, pureed
- 2 Tbsp thick Tamarind juice
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Take the soya chunks and place them in a bowl full of hot water. Make sure that the chunks are completely immersed for about 15 – 20 mins.
- In the meantime using a griddle/tava over medium-low flame dry roast the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seed, dry whole red chillies, whole black peppercorns, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves. You may even add a pinch of salt to this. Switch off flame once they release aroma and turns light brown in colour. Wait to cool off before grinding to a fine powder in a mixer/grinder.
- After soaking the soya chunks would have doubled in their size and volume. Squeeze all the water out of the soya chunks. If the chunks are not the mini ones, I usually prefer to cut them into halves.
- Heat oil in a deep bottom pan. Add the chopped onions and the curry leaves. Saute till onions turn golden brown in colour. Over medium – low flame add the turmeric powder and the roasted ground masala powder. Stir frequently for 2 – 3 mins or till the masala starts to release aroma. Now add the tomato puree and stir and cook till oil starts leaving from the sides.
- Now return the shallow fried soya chunks to the pan. Stir for a bit before adding 1 cup of water. Check for salt and adjust according to taste. Cover and cook for 10 mins over medium flame. By now most of the water should have evaporated and the gravy should be a dry one.
- You may add 2 Tsp oil to the pan if you want and saute the masala soya chunks for a bit. This will ensure to attain the perfect dry texture and the colour too will turn dark.
- Serve hot with rice, pulao or any Indian breads of your choice.
Notes
The spices and Flavours in this recipe can be adjusted as per your taste. I would recommend to cut the soya chunks into smaller pieces for the best result. I mostly tend to buy and cook the mini soya chunks so that there is no need to cut them further into smaller size.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
Leave a Reply