Soya chunks is also known as meal maker or soya nuggets. It has high protein content and is considered as a rich protein food to the vegetarians in India. Soya chunks is widely used in Indian cooking. It tastes like meat, hence it is used as an alternative in traditional meat dishes.

Soya chunks is a defatted (removing fatty acids or fat trimming) soy flour product, a by-product of extracting soybean oil.

How to cook Soya Chunks?

Soya chunks should be immersed or soaked in boiling hot water for 10-15 minutes. Once they turn soft strain them and run them under cold water. Squeeze out the water from the chunks and place them in a separate bowl until ready to use.

I have used toasted coconut to make this curry. The coconut gives a nice flavour to the curry. I have also used meat masala powder to make this curry. If you don’t have meat masala powder you can use coriander, cumin and chilli powder.

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Soya Chunks Curry

Preparation time:15 min

Cooking time:20min

Total Time:35 min

Yield: 3-4 servings

Ingredients

Soya chunks preparation

• 2 cups soya chunks
• 3 cups boiling hot water

For masala

• 1/2 cup grated coconut
• few sliced onions
• marble-sized tamarind
• 2 tsp meat masala powder (*see notes)

For curry

• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 medium-sized onion, sliced
• 1 medium-sized tomato, chopped
• 2 cups of water
• 1/4 tsp garam masala
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp coriander leaves

Instructions

Soya chunks Preparation

1. In a bowl, add soya chunks and soak them in boiling hot water for 10- 15 min.
2. Once soft, strain them and run it in cold water. Squeeze out the water from the soya chunks and keep them aside.
3. For the masala– In a pan, add grated coconut and few sliced onions. Toast the coconut till they turn a light brown. Add meat masala powder, tamarind and stir for a few minutes. Let the mixture cool down.
4. Once cooled, add the mixture to a blender with a little water. Blend till it becomes smooth. Keep it aside.
5. For curry– In a pot, add a few tablespoons of oil, add onions, fry till it becomes brown. Add ginger-garlic paste. Saute till it becomes fragrant. Then add chopped tomatoes. Cook the tomatoes till they become soft and mushy.
6. Next, add the ground masala paste, prepared soya chunks. Mix everything well. Then add 2 cups of water.( wash the blender with a little water, this way the masala does not get wasted)
7. Add garam masala and salt to taste. Boil the curry. Once it starts to boil reduce the flame to low and simmer the curry for 10 min.
8. Add chopped coriander leaves. Stir everything well. Switch off the flame.
9. Serve soya chunks curry with steamed rice and papads.