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Soya chunks sabzi
Soya chunks ki sabzi (सोया चंक्स की सब्ज़ी): dry onion-tomato masala with protein-rich soya nuggets
Soya chunks, called nutrela or meal maker across India, are a hostel and office-tiffin favourite from Delhi to Hyderabad because they are cheap, keep for months and soak up masala like a sponge. Here they are boiled, squeezed and cooked dry with onion, tomato and garam masala until each chunk is glossy and coated. The mistake is not squeezing hard enough: water left inside dilutes the masala and the chunks taste of nothing. Squeeze them in a fist, twice. Chef's tip: soak them in hot salted water with a pinch of turmeric, so they are seasoned all the way through.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 3
Ingredients
- 2 ⅞ oz dried soya chunks
- 1 litre waterfor boiling
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 onionlarge, finely chopped
- 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
- 2 tomatoesfinely chopped
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 ½ tsp ground coriander
- ¾ tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)crushed
- 2 tbsp fresh corianderchopped
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Boil 1 litre water with ½ tsp salt, add 2 ⅞ oz dried soya chunks and simmer for 5 minutes until soft and doubled in size. Drain, rinse in cold water and squeeze each handful hard, twice, until no more water runs out. Cut large chunks in half.
6 minStep 2: Heat 2 tbsp sunflower oil in a kadai over a medium heat. Add 1 tsp cumin seeds and let it crackle, then fry 1 onion for 7 minutes until golden brown. Add 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste and stir for 1 minute.
8 minStep 3: Add 2 tomatoes, ¼ tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder, 1 ½ tsp ground coriander and ½ tsp salt and cook for 5 minutes, mashing, until the tomatoes melt and the oil separates.
5 minStep 4: Add the soya chunks and stir-fry for 4–5 minutes over a medium heat until the masala clings to them and they look glossy and dry.
5 minStep 5: Stir in ¾ tsp garam masala, 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) and 2 tbsp fresh coriander. Cool and pack with rotis or rice.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 260 kcal
- Protein
- 24 g
- Carbs
- 18 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 7 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does soya chunks sabzi take?
- About 35 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 3 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of cumin seeds?
- Ground cumin, three quarters of the amount (add it with the other ground spices, not to hot oil first).
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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