Name: Creamy Afghani Soya Chaap Tikka
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 95 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 250 g Soy Chaap, sticks removed, cut into bite-sized roundels; 3 tbsp Strained Yogurt, thick yogurt, devoid of water; 4 tbsp Fresh Cream, divided (some for marinade, some for final toss); 1½ tbsp Cashews, soaked and ground to a smooth paste; 2 tbsp Cheese, grated, for the velvety texture; 1 tsp Ginger-Garlic Paste, fresh; 2 Green Chili Pepper, crushed into a paste; ½ tsp Ground Black Pepper, freshly ground for maximum impact; ¼ tsp Ground Cardamom, green cardamom; 2 tbsp Butter, melted, for basting and tossing; ½ tsp Chaat Masala, for the finishing touch; ¾ tsp Salt, to taste

1 hr 35 mintotal

35 min hands-on1 hr hands-off

Prep 15 min · Cook 20 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Medium
Spice: Mild

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Method

Pull the soya chaap off their sticks and chop them into 1-inch thick pieces. Drop them in boiling water for 3-4 minutes to soften the layers. Drain well and squeeze out excess water gently.
3–4 min
In a large mixing bowl, prepare the 'White Marinade'. Whisk together the hung curd, half of the fresh cream, cashew paste, grated processed cheese, ginger garlic paste, green chilli paste, black pepper powder, cardamom powder, and salt. Whisk until luxuriously smooth.
Add the softened soya chaap pieces to the bowl. Massage the thick marinade deeply into the layers of the chaap. Let it rest to absorb the flavors.
To cook, skewer the marinated chaap pieces. You can grill them in an oven preheated to 200°C for 15-20 minutes, or cook them on a heavy iron tawa over medium-high heat until the edges get nice tandoori-style char marks. Baste with melted butter intermittently.
15–20 min
Once beautifully roasted and sizzling, transfer the hot chaap to a mixing bowl.
Immediately toss them with the remaining fresh cream, a generous splash of melted butter, and a sprinkle of chaat masala. This creates the iconic wet, street-style gravy coating.
Serve immediately while steaming hot.

How to tell it's done

A gloriously charred, smoky exterior giving way to a spongy, tender core that oozes rich cream and melted butter.

Getting it right

Tip

The secret to the perfect street-style chaap is ensuring the layers of the soy protein open up during the initial boiling. Squeezing out the water acts like a sponge, allowing the thick cream marinade to penetrate all the way to the core.

What to serve it with

Serve straight from the pan, accompanied by spicy coriander-mint yogurt chutney and julienned onions to cut through the extreme richness of the dish.

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Ingredients