Soya Chaap, which originated in South Asia, has become increasingly popular as a vegan alternative to meat dishes. It is now a common street food in northern India and even has restaurant chains dedicated to this one ingredient. Soya Chaap, is made from soybean chunks, is a perfect example of how Indian cuisine can cater to both vegetarians and meat lovers, offering a delicious option as a main course or side dish.
This protein-rich dish boasts a unique smoky flavor, thanks to the marination process, making it an ideal addition to any Indian curry recipes for a lavish dinner. Let’s dive into the enticing world of Soya Chaap and explore how you can savor this delightful vegan protein option in your very own kitchen.
Some interesting recipes you can make :
Soya chunks manchurian, soya meal maker pulao and soya curls taco are 3 interesting recipes apart from Soya chap curry.
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What is soya chaap ?
It is made after mixing different flours sources from soya beans & wheat . it is a good source of Its ready available in canned tins in Indian grocery store. They are also sometimes available as frozen .The easy way to prepare a curry from these include frying small pieces of soya chaap and then cooking them in a soya chaap gravy , that is made of onions, tomatoes and spices. soy chunks is also a delicious vegan protein option. You can add it to simple curries like lauki and even pulao
You have seen this dish in North India especially Delhi-NCR in various variants. From Afghani chap, tandoori soya chaap to malai soya chaap. However, the main issue with takeaways is the oil and fat content added to make it flavorful. By making it at home you can make this dish healthier. Other interesting vegan recipes are jackfruit curry, jackfruit biryani for something lavish. If you want to eat light, lauki ki sabzi and aloo matar can be prepared in a similar fashion.
Other vegan curry recipes includes Chickpea korma curry,amaranth leaves dal,french lentils ,gatte ki kadi & dry kala chana recipe.
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Ingredients
Soya Chaap requires a delightful blend of spices and herbs to achieve its mouthwatering taste. You’ll need:
See recipe card for quantities.
- Soya chaap sticks ( I have used the full tin)
- Onions
- tomatoes
- Cumin seeds
- Ginger garlic paste
- oil
Spices
- Turmeric powder
- Red chili powder
- Coriander powder
- Green chilies
- Coriander leaves
Instructions
Soya Chaap, a popular dish in Indian cuisine, requires a simple process to be created. This intricate process involves several steps, beginning with marination and then proceeding to cooking. Follow these easy steps to savor this delightful vegan protein option in less time.
Remove the wooden strips from soya sticks, Cut soy chap in medium size pieces
Brush oil/toss oil on the soya pieces.
In a preheated air fryer, cook the pieces for 14-15 minutes @180C | 355F.
Heat oil in pan/instant pot, add cumin seeds, let it crackle. Add onions and ginger. Let it cook until soft over medium heat. Add chopped tomatoes. Once the tomatoes have softened, add the remaining spices.
Let it simmer for 5-6 mins until it is ready and all flavors come together. Add 2 cup of water
Mix the fried soya pieces with the onion and tomato mix Cover and cook for 10-12 minutes. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves. Serve it with tandoori roti, roomali roti, naan or plain roti ( Indian flat bread )
Substitutions & Variations
- If you are someone who prefers a less spicy flavor, then you can decrease the quantity of red chilly powder and green chilies used in the recipe.
- If you are looking for a healthier way to prepare Soya Chaap, you might want to consider air frying or shallow frying it.
- You may add black pepper powder , Whole spices / garam masala powder or any other spices of your choice
- I also like to add kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) at the end. It balances the sweet and sour flavors.
- You can also add green chillies if you want to make the curry more spicy.
Equipment
- Air fryer
- pan / large skillet
- food processor optional
Storage
Avoid keeping the uncooked soya chaap in the fridge. Cook it in the airfryer/deep fryer and then you can store it for a week.
Cooked soya chaap curry can also be store in an airtight container in the fridge for a 3-4 days.
Top tip
The soya chaap that is available in cans, need to be cooked (deep fried/air fried/saute) before you can add them to a gravy. the gravy can be vegan or vegetarian depending on the taste.
FAQ
Yes, you can find ready-made soya chaap in most Indian grocery stores. They are available in sealed cans.
Yes, it is 60% soy and some tins have 40% plain flour ( all purpose flour ). Although some varieties do mention using wholewheat flour.
It was introduced in India by a company, Ramesh Chander and Sons. They developed a process to create a meat like texture from soybeans & wheat flour. soya chaap. Chaap is the Hindi word for meat.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Soya chaap curry recipe
Equipment
- pan
- Food processor
Ingredients
- 800 gms Soya chaap 1 tin of soya chaap
- 1 large onion
- 3 medium tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, garlic
- 4 teaspoon Olive oil 2 tablespoon for air frying, 2 tablespoon for curry. For deep frying more oil is required.
Spices
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder or as per taste
- ½ tbsp. coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala or as per taste
- Salt as per taste
Spice - variation
- ½ tablespoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder or as per taste
Instructions
- Remove the wooden sticks from the soy chap. Cut soy chap in medium size pieces
To air fry soya pieces
- Brush oil/toss oil on the soya pieces.
- Preheat the airfryer at 180C/355F.
- In a preheated air fryer, cook the pieces for 14-15 minutes @180C | 355F.
To fry soya chap pieces
- Heat oil in pan, you may sauté the soya pieces in 3-4 tbsp. oil or deep fry them.
For soya chap curry
- Heat oil in pan/instant pot, add cumin seeds, let it crackle. Add onions and ginger. Let it cook until soft over medium heat.
- Add chopped tomatoes,Once the tomatoes have softened, add the remaining spices.
- Let it simmer for 5-6 mins until it is ready and all flavors come together.Add 2 cups of water
- Mix the fried soya pieces with the onion and tomato mix.
- Cover and cook for 10-12 minutes
- Garnish with coriander leaves.
Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C).
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat.
- Wash hands after touching raw meat.
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.
- Never leave cooking food unattended.
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds.
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove.
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