Name: Soya Chunk Curry
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: ¾ cup Textured Soy Protein Chunks, Nutrela or meal maker; ½ Potato, large, peeled and cubed (optional); 1 Onion, finely chopped; 1 Tomato, pureed; ½ tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste; 1 Green Chili Pepper, slit; ½ tsp Cumin Seeds; ½ Indian Bay Leaf; ¼ tsp Ground Turmeric; ½ tsp Red Chilli Powder; ¾ tsp Ground Coriander; ¼ tsp Garam Masala; ½ tsp Dried Fenugreek Leaves, crushed; 1 tbsp Cooking Oil; ½ tsp Salt, to taste; ¾ cup Water; 1 tbsp Coriander Leaves, chopped

55 mintotal

40 min hands-on15 min hands-off

Prep 15 min · Cook 25 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Easy
Spice: Medium

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Method

Drop the dry soya chunks into a large pan of vigorously boiling salted water. Boil them for 10 minutes, until they swell up. Drain them, rinse them under cold water, and squeeze them hard with your hands to force out all the water they hold.
10 min
Heat a small portion of the cooking oil in a wide kadhai. Drop in the completely squeezed soya chunks (and the potato cubes, if utilizing). Fry steadily on medium heat for 5 minutes until the exterior of the chunks develops a slightly crisped, browned crust. Remove and set aside.
5 min
In the very same kadhai, heat the remaining oil. Add the cumin seeds and the bay leaf, allowing the fat to fry the spices and extract their aromas.
Stir the finely chopped onions into the hot oil. Fry them patiently until they collapse into a deep golden-brown state.
Add the ginger-garlic paste and the slit green chillies. Sauté the aromatics for 1 minute to neutralize their raw bite.
1 min
Add the tomato puree along with the turmeric, red chilli powder, coriander powder and salt. Cook this masala down until the water has gone and the oil separates clearly from the thick paste.
Return the fried soya chunks and potatoes to the pan. Mix vigorously to ensure the dark masala thickly coats every piece. Roast everything together for 2 solid minutes.
Pour in enough warm water to establish a loose gravy. Secure a lid over the kadhai and simmer on low heat for 12-15 minutes. This prolonged simmer allows the potatoes to soften and forces the dehydrated soya chunks to gorge on the flavorful broth.
12–15 min
Dust the final curry with garam masala and heavily crushed kasuri methi. Mix well and let it simmer for 1 final minute to merge the finishing spices.
Garnish with freshly chopped coriander and serve hot from the stove.

How to tell it's done

Spongy, puffed-up soya chunks that release a spicy, savoury gravy as you bite, in a thick, homestyle tomato-onion gravy.

Getting it right

Tip

Viciously squeezing the boiled chunks is non-negotiable; it evacuates the spongy interior, physically removing the bitter 'soy' taste and creating a vacuum that subsequently sucks up the rich gravy.

What to serve it with

A stellar, high-protein daily standard. Beautifully suited to pair with steaming hot Chapatis, crisp Parathas, or minimalist Jeera Rice.

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