Soya Chunks Curry Masala

Soya chunks…a synonym for vegetable meat that seems to be gaining immense popularity off late in Indian cuisine. And gone is the past when I just used to abhor this highly nutritious source; quite reminding me and making me feel like biting into those fibrous n chewy chicken n meat pieces…something definitely not too digestible by a hard-core vegan like me. :-) But times have changed literally making me too fall for this highly nutritious meal maker…thx to the innumerable number of fascinating recipes posted in the web world that infact tempted me to try it out for a starter and eventually ended up building a strong liking for it. This strong liking also finally encouraged me to work on them to come up with my own versions of a couple of tasty Soya dishes; of course, keeping in mind a couple of factors like it shud be less laborious and shud take in only a few ingredients without compromising on the taste aspect. And fortunately enough, it worked and has now quite become a frequent accompaniment with rotis for dinner!!!

Soya…as you all know is a high resource of proteins and is considered highly beneficial for health…apparently making it one of the core factors to have it included in your daily diet. However, I’ve seen a few in my family turning their faces off to soya dishes coz of its pungent smell though I feel it could be offset by spicing up the curry more…which finally made me opt for a couple of tbsp of Chicken masala powder instead of the usual dry masala powders. And hey, pls do not misconstrue me for a brand ambassador of Eastern chicken masala (as you’d see it being one of the key ingredients in most of my recipes as a close substitute for dry masala)…. :) And frankly enough, it has quite become a permanent part of my pantry shelf now. The reason why I chose it is coz I simply hate to have to ponder over the kitchen stove on the amount of coriander powder or chilly powder or garam masala powder that “shud” go into the curry…get confused and finally end up putting more of one of those. So, guys out there like me, the best option is to toss in a couple of tbsp of Chicken masala powder and if you wanna make it more spicy, you can add in a tsp of garam masala too.



So, here’s how the simple soya curry masala recipe goes.

You’d require

A cup of Soya chunks
A couple of medium sized Onions
A couple of medium sized Tomatoes
2 – 3 Green chillies
A few garlic pods
A ginger knob
A few Curry leaves
½ tsp Turmeric powder
2 tbsp or as reqd of Eastern Chicken masala powder
Salt – As required
Oil – As required

Method:-
1)Soak the soya chunks in hot water for around 30 minutes or so.
2)Discard the water and squeeze the excess water off the soya chunks and keep it aside. You can also cut it into halves.
3)Thinly slice the onions, tomatoes, ginger and garlic.
4)Heat oil in a pan and add the onions, ginger, green chillies, garlic and curry leaves.
5)Sauté till the onions turn brown.
6)Add tomatoes and sauté till it blends well.
7)Add the chicken masala powder and mix well.
8)Stir fry very well for a couple of minutes, till the raw smell leaves.
9)Add the drained soya chunks and mix well.
10)Add sufficient water along with salt and mix well.
11)Add a little chopped coriander leaves (optional).
12)Simmer till the soya chunks are cooked well and the gravy becomes thick.
12)Garnish with coriander leaves.

This is one of the easiest versions to stir up a spicy soya curry with dry masala. An attempt to give a naadan touch to the modern-day cuisine style trend. :) You can also try out variations by throwing in a couple of cooked baby potatoes or other veggies of your choice and making it all the more wholesome. Eat healthy and live healthy!!!

So, again on that healthy note, happy cooking!!!