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Showing posts with label soya chunks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label soya chunks. Show all posts

Monday, June 27, 2016

Soya Stuffed Peppers ( A healthier take on Mirchi Bhajji )

There is something about the rains that brings out the foodie in me. The splattering sounds made by the water, the ever present chill in the air and even the lovely smells that the rains unleash gets me into a good mood. Being ravenous is a not-so-desirable side effect of the monsoon showers but these days I am hardly complaining. I have managed to lost a bit of weight by turning partly vegan and have been working out regularly. So, a once in a while indulgence is kinda welcome.

Tea and mirchi bhajjis is one such combination that makes me go weak in the knees. But the amount of oil that goes into making the bhajjis always makes me change my mind at the last moment. However, today I had skipped lunch and ended up quite hungry around 5 in the evening. I wanted something quite filling with my tea . So, I decided to give the bhajjis a healthy makeover by stuffing them with some spicy soya filling and then pan frying them.

It is quite a simple recipe yet it turned out delicious. Read on for my 'Soya Stuffed Peppers' -

















Preparation Time - 20-25 mins

Ingredients -

  • 1 cup soya chunks
  • 1 medium potato
  • 5-6 large peppers 
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 1/3 cup besan
  • 1/2 of a medium onion (finely chopped)
  • 1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste
  • 1/4 tsp chili powder
  • 2 pinch garam masala
  • salt to taste
  • 3 tsp oil
  • 1 tsp chopped cilantro

Preparation - Cook the soya chunks and potato in a pressure cooker for 1-2 whistles.

Allow steam to escape. Open lid, take out the soya chunks, squeeze them and rinse 2-3 times in clear water.

Squeeze out all the water from the soya chunks, put in a mixing bowl and mash to a coarse paste. Peel the potato, mash and add to the same mixing bowl.

Add some water, salt and a bit of chili powder to the besan. Mix well to make a paste of medium consistency.

Cooking - Heat 1 tsp oil in pan. Add the chopped onion and ginger garlic paste. Saute for a while till the raw smell goes off.

Add the soya and potato paste along with salt and chili powder. Mix everything together and cook for 4-5 mins.

Finally add the garam masala and chopped cilantro. Mix and remove from the flame. Let it come down to room temperature.

Make a single slit on the side for each pepper. Remove the insides and stuff the soya masala into it.

Dip the stuffed pepper into the besan paste and take it out. Shake lightly to remove excess batter clinging to it.

Spread the oats on a plate. Roll the battered peppers over the oats taking care to form a uniform layer. Repeat this process for all the peppers.

Heat a non-stick frying pan. Add 1 tsp oil to it and place the stuffed peppers. Drizzle some more oil over them.

Fry on a medium flame till they turn golden brown on all sides.

Remove from pan.































Serve hot with mayonnaise and ketchup.

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

The 15 Minute Meal Series - Post 3

Continuing the 15 Minute Meal series that enables you to enjoy fresh home cooked food, I have put together another really easy to prepare meal consisting of flavoured rice (using brown rice), soya and kala channa subzi, karela ka bharta and a papad chura/salad .



































How to do this in 15 mins -

1. Overnight preparation -  Soak the kala channa for 8 hours minimum. Wash and cook with salt, turmeric and just enough water for 3-4 whistles.

Open the cooker once steam escapes. Transfer into a food grade plastic container and refrigerate overnight.

Take one bitter gourd and 2 medium sized potatoes. Wash and cook together in a pressure cooker with just enough water for 3 whistles.

Open the cooker once steam escapes. Transfer into a food grade plastic container and refrigerate overnight.

Additionally, one can also peel the garlic and chop the onions, cilantro and green chilis.

Soak the brown rice overnight.

2. Making the kala channa and soya subzi - Put the soya chunks into boiling water for 5 mins.

Heat 1-2 tsp oil in a wok. Add jeera and green chili tempering. Add chopped onions followed by GG paste. Fry for 2 mins.

Drain the soya chunks and wash 2-3 times with fresh water. Squeeze out water before adding to the wok. Fry for 2 mins

Add chopped tomato, red chili powder, garam masala and cook for another 2-3 mins. Add the boiled channa along with the boiled potato (peeled and cubed). Cook for 2 mins.

Transfer to a pressure cooker along with 1 1/2 cups hot water. Adjust salt. Close lid and cook for 2 whistles on high.

3. Cooking rice - Heat a oil in a cooker. Add 1-2 green chilis, 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, 1/4 tsp cumin seeds and 2 garlic cloves. After 30 secs, add about 2-3 tbsp chopped coriander stems and saute for a min or two. Add the washed brown rice and water. Sprinkle some grated mango ginger on top. Close lid and cook for 2 whistles.

4. Kareley ka Bharta - Take the bitter gourd, remove the seeds and mash it. Add the boiled potato to it, add chopped green chili, salt, a bit of mustard oil and cilantro. Mash together.

Heat 1/2 tsp oil in a tadka pan. Add some pancha phutana (panch phoran) and 1 broken red chili. Once it gets spluttering, add some chopped onion and crushed garlic. Fry for 1 minute before pouring it over the mashed bittergourd and potato. Mix together.

5. Papad ka chura - Roast a papad on flame. Crumble and add some amchur, red chili powder, chopped onion and cilantro. Toss together. If you like, add some thinly sliced cucumber and tomato to it.


Chef's Tip - Start with the rice and the kala channa and soya subzi. Once the rice cooking is underway and the tomatoes are still being cooked, utilize this time to prepare the bharta. By the time the subzi goes into the cooker, the rice will be done and you can prepare the tempering for the bharta. Roast the papad just before serving the meal.

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Vegetarian Keema Matar (Soya Matar)

Most of the time when I am indulging in a non-veg recipe, I have the tendency to think if it can be replicated/substituted with some vegetarian/vegan ingredients. So, when I cooked Keema matar last week, I felt a strong urge to try it with my favorite vegetarian meat aka soya nuggets. And I was pleased as a punch with the terrific results. The aromas of the spices, the richness of yogurt and the unmatched taste of the fresh green peas ( no frozen ones plz ) make this dish quite unforgettable.

I would love to make this dish for lunch (atleast twice or thrice a week till the fresh peas are in season) and pair it with rotis and some sweetened yogurt. While you can use soya granules if you have them, I made this by soaking the soya chunks in hot water, squeezing them dry and grinding them into a coarse paste. Read on for the recipe -







Preparation Time - 15-20 mins

Ingredients -


  • 1 cup soya keema/granules
  • 1 cup shelled green peas (fresh ones only)
  • 1 large tomato
  • 1 medium sized onion
  • 1 green chili (finely chopped)
  • 1 tsp ginger paste
  • 1 tsp garlic paste
  • 1/2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
  • 1/3 tsp coriander powder
  • 1/5 tsp Garam masala
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric
  • 2 inch long cinnamon stick
  • 1-2 green cardamom
  • 1-2 cloves
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3 tbsp thick curd
  • 3 tsp oil
  • salt to taste
  • fresh coriander leaves for garnishing

Preparation - Soak the soya granules in hot water for 5-10 mins. Wash and squeeze out the water. Repeat twice with warm water.

Chop the onion into medium sized pieces. The tomato can either be finely chopped or grind into a paste.

Beat the curd lightly with a spoon to break any lumps.

Cooking - Heat the oil in a pressure cooker. Throw in the whole garam masala. Add the onions and fry for 1-2 minutes before adding the ginger paste, garlic paste and green chili. Fry for 3-4 minutes till the raw smell goes off.

Add the soaked soya kheema at this point along with the coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder and half of the garam masala. Fry for 4-5 minutes.

Add the tomato pieces and fry for 2-3 mins. Add the beaten curd and cook for another 2-3 mins.

Finally add the green peas, salt and remaining garam masala.

Serve hot with rotis.





















Note - Add some meat masala to add that extra zing to this dish !!

Sunday, October 12, 2014

Soya-Palak ki subzi (Soyabean au Palanga tarkari)

Political correctness is a virtue which every public figure should possess. As they are under the scanner every time they try to channelize their inner thoughts, they need to learn how to make it sound good. Else they might end up sounding like Mr Nadella who has finally spoken the 'satya' or the truth about the mindset of the Indian male, which incidentally happens to be one of the most insecure breeds amongst all home sapiens. Indian women are born to obey their fathers (and brothers), then their husband and finally their sons. And that is something we have been doing without raising a voice (even when not-so-stray incidents of domestic violence happen). So, when a Nadella decides to advise them on doing good 'karma', all the collective pent-up frustration of the estrogen clan starts pouring out on the internet. While I am no supporter of the now 'infamous' guy, I would very much prefer that these women take it out on the men in their lives instead. Charity begins at home.

Back to my kitchen. While I prefer cooking soya chunks in a traditional (read typical Odia) curried form, spinach usually ends up being pureed with onion, ginger and garlic. This spinach puree is quite versatile and I keep adding it to paneer, sweet corn, potato and even rice preparations. I also stuff it into sandwiches at times.

But last week I was in a hurry to finish all the vegetables/perishables lying in my fridge before leaving for a weekend trip. I had prepared my favorite soya curry for lunch and some of it was still remaining for dinner. As I cleaned out the fridge, I noticed this bunch still lying untouched. Came up with the plan of improvising my leftover curry with some greens. Hence I combined two of my favorite formulas to come up with this curry.

Read on for the easy and yummy recipe -




















Preparation Time - 25 mins

Ingredients -

  • 1 1/2 cup soya nuggets
  • 1 1/2 cup baby spinach (with stems removed)
  • 1 medium sized potato
  • 1 medium sized onion
  • 6-7 garlic cloves
  • 1 inch ginger
  • 1 small tomato
  • 1 dry red chili
  • 2 green cardamom
  • 2 cloves
  • 1 inch cinnamon
  • 1 small bay leaf
  • a small bit of a black cardamom
  • 1/2 tsp meat masala
  • 1/2 tsp red chili powder
  • 1/3 tsp turmeric
  • 4 tsp oil
  • salt to taste
  • 2 pinch garam masala


Preparation - Roughly chop onion, ginger and garlic. Transfer to a mixer jar along with the broken red chili and buzz for 1 sec to get a very coarse paste ( you should be able to make out each ingredient ).

Soak the soyabeans in 4-5 cups hot water for half an hour. Remove from hot water and wash under running water. Squeeze out the water and once again wash it under running water. Repeat 2-3 times.

Blanch the spinach ( put in boiling water for 2 mins, remove and immediately transfer to cold water ). Buzz in a mixie jar for 2-3 seconds to obtain a coarse puree.

Cooking - Heat 3 tsp oil in a pressure cooker. Add all the wholes spices and fry for 5-6 secs till they start to give out a fragrance.

Add the onion paste and fry till it turns reddish (use low flame with regular stirring else it will burn). Add the
tomato and cook for 2-3 mins till it softens.

Add the powdered masalas (except garam masala) and salt at this stage and fry for 1 min. Add the soaked (and thoroughly squeezed soya nuggets) along with the diced potato to the cooker. Stir fry on medium flame for 3-4 mins.

Add 2 1/2 - 3 cups hot water, adjust salt, sprinkle garam masala and close the lid of the cooker. Cook for 1-2 whistles on medium flame. Remove from flame and allow to stand aside till steam escapes.

Heat remaining oil in a wok. Add the spinach puree and fry for 2-3 mins. Add the contents of the pressure cooker to the wok. Bring to boil and let it simmer for 2 mins.

Serve hot with white rice, roti or parantha.

Note - One can also skip the whole garam masala and add some powdered garam masala instead.

Friday, August 8, 2014

Soya Badi Jholo (Vegetarian Mutton Curry)

Sometime during my school years, soya nuggets or 'soya badi' as we call them in Odisha, began to make an apperance during the meal times. At first they seemed rubbery and had an yucky flavour. Almost all the kids hated them. But gradually people mastered the art of cooking this 'protein rich' ingredient (or maybe our taste buds got acclimatized to it) and it became very popular as vegetarian mutton. In those days, large families with limited income often added some soya badi to their Sunday mutton curry. With a texture that closely mimics mutton ( of course when both have been cooked thoroughly ) and a rather sponge like ability to soak/imbibe the flavour of whatever is cooked alongside, it became an overnight hit with the mutton loving Odia folks. Such was its popularity that it even began to show up at wedding banquets.

Those were the long gone days of sit-down dinners and one had to wait for one or two batches to finish eating before one could expect to find a place to sit down. Disposable incomes were low and so were the spending habits of people. It was sometime around this time that both chinese cuisine and IT appeared on the horizon. And both have since then revolutionized our lives. Maybe it was this indo-chinese food phenomenon that diverted one from the humble soyabean. Suddenly the curry of choice was the either a manchurian or something that that been 'chilli-fied' (read marinated and/or stir-fried with a mix of chinese sauces). But soyabean has finally staged a comeback after lying low for a couple of years. One finds it added to salads, tikkis, curries, biryani and even some desserts these days.

But the recipe that I will be sharing today is the time tested version that my mom used to cook. In Odisha you will find that it is prepared in the typical manner of a mutton curry. Read on for more -






Preparation Time - 20 mins

Ingredients -

  • 1 1/2 cup soya nuggets
  • 1 medium sized potato
  • 1 medium sized onion
  • 6-7 garlic cloves
  • 1 inch ginger
  • 1 small tomato
  • 1 dry red chili
  • 2 green cardamom
  • 2 cloves
  • 1 inch cinnamon
  • 1 small bay leaf
  • a small bit of a black cardamom
  • 1/2 tsp meat masala
  • 1/2 tsp red chili powder
  • 1/3 tsp turmeric
  • 4 tsp oil
  • salt to taste
  • 2 pinch garam masala


Preparation - Roughly chop onion, ginger and garlic. Transfer to a mixer jar along with the broken red chili and buzz for 1 sec to get a very coarse paste ( you should be able to make out each ingredient ).

Soak the soyabeans in 4-5 cups hot water for half an hour. Remove from hot water and wash under running water. Squeeze out the water and once again wash it under running water. Repeat 2-3 times.

Cooking - Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add all the wholes spices and fry for 5-6 secs till they start to give out a fragrance.

Add the onion paste and fry till it turns reddish (use low flame with regular stirring else it will burn). Add the
tomato and cook for 2-3 mins till it softens.

Add the powdered masalas (except garam masala) and salt at this stage and fry for 1 min. Add the soaked (and thoroughy squeezed soya nuggets) along with the diced potato to the cooker. Stir fry on medium flame for 3-4 mins.

Add 2 1/2 - 3 cups hot water, adjust salt, sprinkle garam masala and close the lid of the cooker. Cook for 1-2 whistles on medium flame. Remove from flame and allow to stand aside till steam escapes.

Serve hot with white rice, roti or parantha.


Thursday, March 13, 2014

Soya nuggets manchurian

So, my maid is on extended leave and hubby has to attend a dinner tonight. Not much cooking on the cards today. A wholesome pongal and stir fried beans for lunch, and panner paratha for dinner is sure to keep little one happy. Only I am in a mood for something spicy (and effortless at the same time). Too lazy to do the dishes later.

Quickly rummaging though the cupboards, I discover a box of Nutrela soya nuggets staring balefully at me. 'Oh! I did not know we had soya at home', I exclaimed. Quickly turning it over, I check the date on the packaging. Still good. Maybe I got it just after coming back from BBSR and it has been lying unused all the while. A quick recipe demonstrated by Chef Sanjeev Kapoor on 'Khana Khazana' is still fresh in my mind. So, 'Soya Nuggets Manchurian' it is got to be.

Read on for the recipe:




Preparation Time - 15 mins

Ingredients - 

  • 1 cup soya nuggets
  • 1/2 of a small capsicum
  • 2 tbsp spring onions chopped
  • 1 small onion
  • 1 tbsp finely chopped ginger
  • 1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
  • 1 1/2 tsp soya sauce
  • 1 1/2 tsp corn flour
  • 1 tbsp tomato ketchup
  • 2 tsp chilli sauce
  • 2-3 green chillis
  • 1/2 tsp vinegar
  • 3 tsp oil
  • salt to taste


Cooking - Cook the soya chunks in a pressure cooker on HIGH flame for 1 whistle. Remove, allow steam to escape and open lid. Drain off the water and wash 2-3 times in fresh water. Squeeze out all the water.

Heat 2 tsp oil in a non-stick pan. Add the soya nuggets. 

Add salt, 1/2 tsp soya sauce, 1 tsp chilli sauce and salt to taste.

Carefully sprinkle 1/2 tsp of corn flour uniformly over the nuggets and add just a sprinkle of water.

Toss well to coat all the nuggets. Remove from pan and keep aside.

Heat the remaining oil in a wok. Add the chopped onions and fry till a little translucent.

Add chopped ginger and garlic. Fry for 2-3 minutes till they darken a bit.

Add the soya sauce, chilli sauce, vinegar and tomato sauce along with 1/2 cup water.

Once it gets to a boil, add the soya nuggets. Boil for 2 minutes.

Add chopped capsicum and half of the spring onion whites.

Dissolve the cornflour in 1/3 cup water and add to it. Allow the gravy to thicken/reduce as you prefer it.

Adjust salt. 

Garnish with spring onion greens . Serve hot with white rice.


















Note - Add more cornflour if you want thick gravy.  Similarly, increase the amount of tomato sauce for more sweetness.

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Vegetarian Kheema Paratha

Consuming soya nuggets have many benefits. They are low in fats and have a high protein content. As it provides all the amino acids that are present in meat, it is an excellent choice for vegans. For the same serving size, soya provide more protein than meat. One serving of soya nuggets is enough to provide more than the daily requirement of iron and almost half of the daily requirement of calcium.
Also its mild taste and texture makes it quite easy to incorporate it many recipes.

Read on for one of my favorite recipes:


















Preparation Time - 25 mins ( minus 10 mins if you have the dough ready/ if using soya granules )

Ingredients - Whole wheat flour ( 1 1/2 cups or enough for making 4 rotis ), 3/4 cup soya chunks, 1 small onion, 1/2 tsp red chilli powder, 1/3 tsp coriander powder, 1/4 tsp cumin powder, 1/6 tsp garam masala or meat masala a pinch of turmeric, salt to taste, 6-7 tsp oil.

Preparation - Take the dough in a open vessel . Add salt and 1 tsp hot oil. Mix together.

Add water little by little to the above mixture and make into a firm dough. Keep it covered and allow to sit for 5 -10 minutes.

Chop the onion into small pieces.

Cooking - Cook the soya chunks with a little salt in a pressure cooker. Allow 1 whistle. Remove and keep aside till steam escapes.

Drain all the water and squeeze out the water in the chunks. Wash twice with fresh water and squeeze the chunks to remove remaining water.

Transfer the chunks to a grinder cup and grind into a coarse paste (kheema).


















Heat  2 tsp oil in a wok. Add the chopped onions and fry till translucent. Add all the powdered masalas and fry for 30-45 seconds.

Add the kheema and fry till it turns to a brown color.



















Remove from stove and allow to cool down.

Make 4 balls out of the dough prepared earlier. Roll out into rotis.

Divide the soya kheema into two portions. Spread the kheema over one roti and cover with another roti.


















Pinch the sides to close the paratha.

Heat a tawa. Place the paratha on the tawa and cook for 1 minute. Flip over and drizzle with oil. Cook for 3-4 minutes till done on both sides.


















Repeat the process for making another paratha.

Serve hot with sweetened yogurt.

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Soya masala Dosa

Masala dosa happens to be one of our staple breakfast items. We usually end up trying out variations to the regular potato masala like the panner stuffed dosa, egg bhurji stuffed dosa, upma stuffed dosa (MLA). This time we decided to stuff it with soya kheema ( mashed soya nuggets ). This not only reduces the starch/carbs content which makes it a healthier option for diabetics, but the increased protein content makes it more filling. Here is the recipe:



















Preparation time: 15-20 mins

Ingredients: 1 1/2 cup boiled soya nuggets, 1 medium sized potatoes ( boiled and peeled ), 1 tsp grated garlic, 1 tsp grated ginger, 1 medium sized onion ( finely chopped ), mustard and cumin seeds for tempering, 1/2 tsp chilli powder, 1/5 tsp turmeric, 2-3 tsp chopped coriander leaves, 3-4 tbs green peas, 3-4 tsp oil, dosa batter for 3-4 dosas, salt to taste.

Cooking: Heat 3-4 tsp oil in a wok. Add mustard-cumin seeds when the oil starts smoking. Follow with chopped onion and the grated ginger and garlic. Fry for 4-5 mins till the raw smell goes away.

Add green peas and fry for 2 minutes.

Add the boiled soya nuggets and fry for 3-4 minutes.

Add the mashed potato along with chilli powder, salt and turmeric. Fry for 2-3 mins. Add the chopped coriander. Fry for 1 minute. Remove from heat and keep aside.

Heat a tawa. Season it with 2-3 drops of oil. Wipe off excess oil with a paper towel / soft cloth. Sprinkle a little water to check if the tawa lets out a slight sizzle. At this stage take a ladle full of the batter and spread over the tawa with a circular motion.

Spread the soya-potato batter at the center of the dosa.



















Fold it from both sides.

Serve hot with chutney or sambar.




      

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Vegetable-Soya Biryani

Nothing beats the comfort and warmth of a one pot meal. And biryani happens to be one of my favorite ones. Chicken, mutton, prawn, vegetable, soybeans or even kabuli chana, i enjoy all the varieties that come with this awesome dish. The Hyderbadi 'Dum' style of making biryani is the closest to my heart. And i have managed to replicate the results by using a presure cooker instead of a handi. 

One can get very close to the 'hyderabadi biryani' by half boiling the rice in a vessel and then transferring it to a pressure cooker ( with the whistle taken off ) along with the 3/4th cooked chicken for the final dish. But i always end up making it a one step process due to shortage of time. 

When we moved to Blore, my husband used to get very nostalgic about Hyderabad and that made him frequent 'Ammi's biryani'. It is the best we have had till date in Blore. and they deliver at your doorstep too. But the effects do show up on your waistline and that made him stop. 

Home made biryani allows more control over the quantity of ghee and spices used. Plus one can cook the chicken/mutton/vegetables/soya and keep it in the fridge for 4-5 days and make some mouth-watering biryani whenever desired. Vegetable biryani can provide the right balance of carbohydrates and fats along with dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals. This time i combined the vegetables with some soya chunks to enrich the protein content of my meal. 

Here is the recipe:


















Preparation Time - 30 mins.

Ingredients - Basmati rice ( 2 1/2 cups ), milk ( 1 cup ), chopped carrot ( 1 /2 cup), chopped beans (1/2 cup), chopped onion ( 1 no, medium sized ), boiled soya granules (1 cup), green peas (1/2 cup), coriander powder ( 1 tsp ), cumin powder ( 2/3 tsp), chilli powder (1 tsp), turmeric ( 1/3 tsp), garam masala powder ( 1/6 tsp), ghee (2 tsp), oil (2 tsp), curd ( 3 tbs), ginger garlic paste ( 1 1/ 2 tsp), 1 inch cinnamon stick, 1 green cardamon, 1/2 of a mace, 1 star anise, 4-5 cloves, salt to taste.

Preparation - Take the curd, chilli powder, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric, garam masala, coriander powder, cumin powder and salt in a mixing bowl. Mix together. Add the boiled soya granules, green peas and chopped vegetables. Mix and allow to marinate for 30 mins.

Cooking - Heat 2 tsp oil in a wok. Add the chopped onion and fry till translucent. Add the marinated ingredients and cook for 5-6 minutes to get rid of the raw smell and half cook the vegetables.

Put a pressure cooker on the flame. Add 1 tsp of ghee and fry the whole spices in it for 20-30 seconds. Wash the rice and add to the cooker. Pour in the milk. Add enough water to cover the rice and an extra 1 inch above it. Stir in the cooked vegetables and soya . Drizzle the remaining ghee on top and close the cooker lid.

It takes about 10-12 minutes or 1-2 whistles to cook through. Remove from flame and allow to stand for 10 mins.

Serve hot with Dahi pacchidi/phalahari raita.


Monday, July 1, 2013

Soya Bhurji




















Preparation time: 15 mins

Ingredients: Soya chunks ( 1 cup ), onion ( 1 medium ), garlic pods ( 5-6 nos ), tomato puree ( 2-3 tsp ), cloves ( 2-3 nos ), green chilli ( 1 no ), chilli powder ( 1/3 tsp, optional ), garam masala ( 1/5 tsp ), salt to taste, turmeric ( a pinch ), oil ( 1-2 tbs ), chopped coriander for garnish.

Preparation: Wash and cook the soya chunks in a pressure cooker. Allow 1 whistle and then remove the cooker from the stove.
Once it cools down, squeeze all the water from the soya chunks. Repeat twice with fresh water.
Chop the soya chunks in a mixer for 3-4 mins into a rough mixture. DO NOT overdo it else the soya will turn into a smooth paste.
Roughly chop the onions and green chillis into small pieces. Crush the garlic pods into a paste using a mortar and pestle.

Cooking: Heat the oil in a pan. When it starts smoking, add the green chilli and cloves. Fry for 30 secs.
Add the onions and fry till it just starts turning golden. Add tomato puree and cook for 2-3 mins.
Add the soya along with salt, turmeric, chilli powder and garam masala. Cook the soya like an egg bhurji, spreading the
 mixture around the pan instead of heaping it in one place. Once the soya starts turning a little brown, it is done.
Garnish and serve hot with rice/chappati. Else use as an filling for paratha/sandwich.

Note: One can also use chopped tomatoes instead of puree.
This is an excellent and nutritious recipe for children. Reduce the amount of chilli and garam masala if preparing for children.

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Kala Channa & Soya Chunks sabzi



















Cooking Time Required: 12-15 mins
Cost of Preparation: 15-18 rupees

Ingredients: Kala channa ( 1 cup ), onion ( 1 no., small ), green chilli ( 1-2 nos
), Nutrela soya chunks ( 1 cup ), cumin powder ( 1/4 tsp), chaana masala powder ( 1/4 tsp ),
garam masala ( a pinch), coriander powder ( 1/4 tsp ), turmeric ( 2 pinch ), salt, oil ( 1 1/2 tsp ), pancha phutana ( 1/5 tsp), coriander leaves for garnish ( optional ).

Preparation: Soak the kala channa overnight. The soya chunks can also be soaked
overnight else 2-3 hours also suffice.

Cooking: Wash and add the kala channa & soyabean chunks to a pressure cooker with a
little salt and turmeric. Add 1 cup of water. Cook for 2-3 whistles. Drain away excess water.

Heat oil in a wok. Add the pancha-phutana, followed by the chopped onion and green
chillies. Fry till the onions turn translucent.

Add the boiled channa and soya-chunks along with the cumin powder, coriander powder and channa masala .Stir fry for 3-4 mins.

Add 1/2 cups of water and boil for 5 mins or till most of the water evaporates. Remove from the stove.

Serve with white rice / rotis.

Monday, May 9, 2011

Soya Biryani




















Cooking Time Required: 12-15 mins
Cost of Preparation: 20-25 rupees

Ingredients: Basmati Rice (1 cup), onion ( 1 small ), nutrela soya granules ( 1/3 cup ), tomato puree ( 1 tbs ), dry red chilli ( 2 nos ), biryani masala ( 1/3 tsp), cumin powder ( 1/5 tsp), coriander powder ( 1/5 tsp), salt, oil ( 1 tsp ).

Preparation: Cut the onion into small pieces and keep aside.

Cooking: Cook the rice with salt and 2 cups water in a pressure cooker for 1 whistle. One can also cook rice in a open vessel if one is not pressed for time.

Keep aside and allow to cool down completely.

At the same time boil the soya granules with a little bit of salt for 5 mins. Drain and allow to cool down. Squeeze out any remaining water.

Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan. Add the red chilli and onion and saute till it turns brown along the edges. Add the boiled soya and fry for 2 mins.

Add tomato puree, biryani masala, cumin powder and coriander powder. Stir fry for 2-3 mins.

Spread the cooked rice over the fried soya granules and sprinkle salt . Mix carefully without breaking the rice grains. Remove from fire after 2 mins.


Note: This is one quick and easy to make lunch box recipe. Goes well with any raita, especially the fruity ( pineapple/apple) ones.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Pudina Rice with Soya Granules




















Cooking Time Required: 10-15 mins
Cost of Preparation: 12-15 rupees

Ingredients: Rice (1 cup), Nutrela soya granules ( 1/3 cup ), onion ( 1/2 , small ), green
chilli ( 1 no ), cut mint leaves ( 2 tbs ), cut coriander leaves ( 1 tbs ), cumin seeds ( 1/6 tsp), fennel seeds ( 1/6 tsp), mustard seeds ( a pinch ), salt, oil ( 1 tsp ).

Preparation: Grind the onion along with the green chilli, coriander leaves and mint
leaves and keep aside for 15-20 mins( this will neutralize the raw onion smell).

Cooking: Cook the rice with salt and 2 cups water in a pressure cooker for 1 whistle. One can also cook rice in a open vessel if one is not pressed for time.

Keep aside and allow to cool down completely.

At the same time boil the soya granules with a little bit of salt for 5 mins. Drain and allow to cool down. Squeeze out any remaining water.

Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan. Add the cumin, fennel & mustard seeds and allow it to splutter.

Add the boiled soya and fry for 2-3 mins.

Add the paste and stir for 30-40 secs. Add the cooked rice. Sprinkle salt and stir for 3-4 mins. Add a few mint leaves and remove from fire.

Serve with curd and fried chicken/stir fried veggies.

Note: The low spice content & presence of mint ( pudina) makes it an ideal lunch-box
option during the hot indian summers.

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Baked Soya Tikkis





















Cooking Time Required: 15-20 mins
Cost of preparation: 20-25 Rupees

Ingredients: Nutrela Soya granules ( 1 cup ), potato ( 1 small ), onion ( 1 small ), green chilli ( 2 nos ), coriander powder ( 1/3 tsp ), cumin powder ( 1/3 tsp ), garam masala ( a pinch ), kasuri methi ( 1 tsp ), salt, tomato puree ( 1 tbs ), oil ( 1 tsp), pancha phutana ( 1 /4 tsp ).

Preparation: Cut the onion and green chilli into small pieces. Boil the potato, peel and keep aside.

Boil the soya granules for 5 mins. Drain out the water.

Cooking: Heat a wok. Add oil followed by the pancha-phutana. When the seeds start spluttering, add the onion and green chillis. Fry till onion turns translucent.

Add the soya granules and fry for 2 mins. Add the mashed potatoes, coriander powder, cumin powder, kasuri methi, garam masala, tomato puree and salt. Add 2-3 tbs water and cook for 3-4 mins till it forms a sticky mass.

Remove from fire and keep aside to cool slightly. Shape into tikkis. Brush the tikkis with a few drops of oil.

Keep on a baking tray. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees. Put the tray inside and reduce heat to 160 degrees. Bake for 5 mins.

Serve hot with ketchup/chutney.

Note: One can give the onion a miss on fasting days. Add fresh coriander leaves instead.

Saturday, December 25, 2010

Pumpkin-Kabuli chana curry























Cost of Preparation: 45-50 rupees
Cooking Time Required: 40-45 mins
Serves: 3-4

Ingredients: Pumpkin pieces ( 1 1/2 cup ), potato pieces ( 1 cup ), soyabean chunks ( 1 cup ), kabuli chana (chole, 1 cup ), onion ( 1 small ), tomato ( 1 small ), red chilli ( 5-6 nos ), coriander seeds ( 1 tsp ), cumin seeds ( 1/ tsp ), garlic ( 5-6 nos ), cinnamon stick ( 1/2 inch long ), cardamon ( nos ), cloves ( 5-6 nos ), fennel ( 1/3 tsp ), oil for frying, salt, turmeric .

Preparation: Soak the chole for 7-8 hours. Transfer to a pressure cooker , add salt and turmeric. Allow for 1-2 whistles. Drain the water and keep aside.






















Wash the soya chunks, soak for 1-2 hours. Transfer to a pressure cooker, add salt and allow 1 whistle. Allow to cool and squeeze out all the water . Keep aside.

Boil the pumpkin and potato pieces for 5-6 . Keep aside.

Gring the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, 1-2 red chillis, garlic, cinnamon, cardamon, onion and tomato into a smooth paste.

Cooking: Heat oil for frying. Add the soya chunks and fry till reddish-brown. Remove and keep aside.






















Heat 2-3 tsp oil in a wok. Add the remaining red chillis, fennel and cloves. Fry for a minute . Add the paste along with 1/3 tsp turmeric.























Cook till the raw smell goes off ( 6-7 minutes ).

Add the soya chunks, boiled chole, pumpkin and potato pieces. Mix well and stir fry for 5-10 minutes.





















Add 1 cup boiling water . Cover with a lid and cook for 5 minutes.
Serve with rotis / puris.

Note: This dish is commonly prepared with bengal gram instead of chole .

Friday, July 23, 2010

Soya Chilli




















Cooking Time Required: 20-25 mins
Cost of preparation: 15-20 rupees

Ingredients: Nutrela Soyabean chunks ( 2 cups), frozen green peas ( 1/2 cup), onion ( 1 medium ), green chilli ( 1-2 nos), ginger (1 inch long), ginger-garlic paste (1/2 tsp), cumin powder (1/3 tsp), tomato sauce ( 2 tsp), maida ( 1 tsp), cornflour ( 1 tsp), oil for frying, salt.

Cooking: Wash the soya chunks and put in a pressure coooker. Add 1-2 cups water and salt. Boil for 5 minutes. Remove from stove and keep aside to cool.

Squeeze out the water from the soya chunks, add ginger-garlic paste, cumin powder, maida , cornflour and a pinch of salt. Mix well. Heat oil in a deep kadai (wok). Add the soya chunks and fry till they turn reddish brown. Keep aside.

Cut the onion, green chilli and ginger into thin long pieces. Heat 1 tsp oil in a non-stick pan. Add the ginger,chilli and onion pieces and fry till the onion turns pinkish. Add the soya chunks and green peas. Stir fry for about 3-4 mins. Drizzle the tomato sauce over the pan and fry for a minute. Remove from fire and serve hot with rice/roti/puri.



One can also add spring onions and yellow/red peppers to this preparation.

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