Note: The soya chaap is not always gluten-free because many manufacturers use all-purpose flour to bind the dough. So read the label carefully if you want gluten-free soya meat. Across North India, the soya sticks are creatively used to make various vegetarian dishes. The reason for their popularity is the chicken-like texture and the ability to absorb the flavour of the curry. Nowadays, they are readily available in the dairy section of supermarkets, grocery stores, and frozen or canned food sections.
Ways To Use Vegan Soya Meat
Soya Chaap Masala Gravy is quite a popular street food across the Northern Region of India, especially in Delhi. During the evening, many street food vendors sell rich and creamy soya chaap butter masala with naan or paper-thin roomali roti. Let me share a little secret with you. You can easily substitute soya meatin any Indian paneer or chicken curry recipe. Moreover, you will find a few exciting soya chaap recipes in my cookbook.
How To Make Soya Chaap Masala
This Punjabi soya chaap recipe is a two-step process.
Marinate and Fry the Soya Meat Prepare the Gravy
Marinate and Fry the Soya Meat
Remove wooden sticks from the soya meat and cut the chaap into bite-size round or oval pieces. Marinate chaap with salt, ginger-garlic paste, curd, red chilli powder, and turmeric powder. Mix to coat each piece with the marinade masala (images 1 & 2). Keep aside for 30 minutes to 1 hour. You can marinate them overnight as well. Heat oil in a pan for shallow frying. Once the oil is hot, fry the soya chaap till crisp and golden from both sides (image 3). You can air-fry them as well. Transfer fried soya chunks to a bowl and set aside.
Prepare the Gravy
Make tomato paste – blend fresh tomatoes, ginger, garlic, Kashmiri red chilies, and hot water to a smooth paste. Keep it aside. To prepare gravy, heat oil in the same pan/kadhai. Add whole spices and saute for 40 – 50 seconds to release their aroma. Next, add onion, and fry till golden. Add tomato paste, turmeric, red chilli powder, and coriander powder. Fry over low heat till oil separates from the masala.
Add water to make gravy, kasuri methi, and garam masala. Allow the curry to simmer over low heat till the sauce thickens. Add fried soya chaap, mix, and simmer the curry once again covered for 5 minutes. This step ensures that chaap absorbs the flavour of the gravy. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves, and serve!
Serving Suggestion
Soya Chaap Curry is a main-course dish. It tastes best with lachha paratha, tandoori roti, jeera rice, or naan. Indian flatbreads are perfect for mopping the spicy flavours of this vegetarian curry. To make a complete Indian meal, you can serve soya chaap curry with naan, boondi raita, and kachumber salad. Store the leftover curry in the refrigerator for 2 – 3 days. Then, reheat in a microwave or stovetop before eating.
More Indian Curry Recipes
Kadhai Paneer Shahi Soya Curry Cauliflower Curry Paneer Kali Mirch Dahi Potato Curry Paneer Butter Masala Dhaba Style Matar Paneer
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