Soya Chunks Gravy

by Deerga // August 6, 2015 // No Comments

Soya beans are a popular legume variety that is known for its protein content. South Indian cuisine has a variety of dishes made with soya beans. Here I have given you a type of gravy made from soya chunks called the Soya chunks gravy. It is very tasty gravy that goes well with chappati, naan, pulav etc.

Soya chunks gravy is a very easy dish to prepare. I literally use all types of masalas, mutton masala powder, chicken 65 powder, biriyani powder and madras curry powder as ingredients. Soya beans are used to make all those meat substitutes like tempeh, tofu etc. I would say dishes made using soya chunks are the closest to regular non vegetarian dishes in taste.

As I had mentioned earlier, soy is rich in protein, amounting to 40% of its composition. Soya chunks gravy is a very healthy dish and a perfect alternative to meat. Try this healthy and tasty dish in your kitchen and let me know your awesome experiences.

Soya Chunks Gravy

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 25 mins

Total time: 35 mins

Serves: 3

Ingredients

Oil – 2 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Onions, small, finely chopped – 1 no
Curry leaves – a sprig
Ginger garlic paste, freshly ground – 1 tbsp
Tomato, medium, finely chopped – 1 no
Red chilli powder – ½ tsp
Mutton masala – ½ tsp (I used sakthi brand)
Chicken masala – ½ tsp
Madras curry powder – ¾ tsp
Soya chunks or meal maker – 1 cup
Biriyani masala – ½ tsp (I used sakthi brand)
Salt as required

To grind:

Grated coconut – 1 tbsp

Instructions

Heat enough water in a pan and bring them to boil. Switch off the flame and soak the soya chunks in hot water for about 10 minutes. After 10 minutes drain the water and keep the soya chunks aside.
Grind grated coconut to fine paste and set aside.
Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds.
When they start to sizzle, add in finely chopped onions and curry leaves. Sauté until onions turn translucent.
Add in freshly ground ginger garlic paste and sauté until the raw smell disappears.
Add in finely chopped tomatoes and sauté until oil separates or until they turn mushy.
Add in all the above mentioned masala powders and give a quick stir. Add very little water and sauté for a minute until the raw smell disappears.
Now add in the soaked and drained soya chunks into the masala and mix well. add enough salt and water. Cover and cook for 5 to 8 minutes.
Finally add in the coconut paste, mix well and cook for another 10 minutes. Enjoy the tasty soya chunk gravy

Cauliflower Gravy

by Deerga // July 5, 2015 // No Comments

Today, I have given you a recipe that I learned from my MIL. It is the Cauliflower Gravy. This is my third recipe with cauliflower as the main ingredient (the other two are Cauliflower Crust Bread and Cauliflower Fry). I have heard about this dish often from my HB. He always says that it tastes like chicken gravy but I did not get a chance to taste it until recently. And I totally agree with my HB’s assumption. It does taste like Chicken gravy!

Cauliflower Gravy is a very easy dish to make and one of the main ingredients in preparing this dish, other than cauliflower, is raw rice water (further explanation about it can be found here) and roasted gram dal powder. Cauliflower Gravy can be had with almost all main entree dishes. It can be had with just rice, as a side dish for chappati or eat as is :). No wonder it is one of the most favorite dishes of my HB.

Try this wonderful and very tasty dish in your kitchen and do let me know your thoughts. 🙂

Cauliflower Gravy

Recipe type: Main

Cuisine: Indian

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Total time: 20 mins

Serves: 20

Ingredients

Oil – 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Curry leaves – 6 nos
Shallots, finely chopped – 6 nos
Sambar powder or veetu milagai podi – 1 ½ tbsp
Raw rice water or kalani thanni – 2 to 3 cups
Cauliflower, medium, blanched – 1 no or 2 cups
Salt as required
Roasted gram dal powder or pottu kadalai podi – 1 tbsp

Instructions

Boil enough water with salt and turmeric powder and blanche the cauliflower florets for couple of minutes. Strain the florets and set aside.
Heat oil in a tawa and season with cumin seeds. Add curry leaves.
Add onions when the curry leaves start to sizzle. Sauté until the onions turn translucent.
Add in sambar powder and salt. Give a quick stir.
Add raw rice water and bring it to boil or until the gravy gets thick.
Add the blanched florets to the gravy and cook until all the water is absorbed and florets are well cooked.
Finish it off with roasted gram dal powder and give a quick stir. Switch off the flame when the roasted gram dal powder is well blended with the gravy. Enjoy! 🙂

MUSHROOM PEPPER FRY

by Deerga // June 23, 2014 // 2 Comments

Mushroom is a popular ingredient found in Asian cuisine, especially, Korean, Indian and Japanese. It is a popular item in up-scale vegetarian restaurants back home. Do you know that mushroom is actually a type of fungus?! Mushroom pepper fry is a relatively new dish in my cook book. I learned it from a recipe that I found online. Mushroom pepper fry is one of those recipes that goes well with almost all main dishes, namely, rice, chappati, dosa, poori etc.

Mushroom pepper fry is what I call the vegetarian equivalent of mutton fry and trust me, it does taste similar. It is easy to cook and can be recycled to some type of gravy as well.

Do try this recipe in your home and let me know of your thoughts, including any new variations that you had tried or any suggestions!

5.0 from 1 reviews

MUSHROOM PEPPER FRY

Recipe type: Lunch

Cuisine: Indian

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 35 mins

Serves: 2

Ingredients

Oil – 2 tbsp
Whole spices – 1 bay leaf, 2 green cardamom, 2 cloves, 1 “ cinnamon stick
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp, divided
Onion, chopped – 1 no
Ginger-garlic paste – 1 tbsp
Curry leaves – a sprig
Green chilli, chopped – 2 nos
Tomato, chopped – 1 no
Turmeric powder – a pinch
Mushroom – 150 grams
Salt as required
Cilantro – to ganish
Lemon juice – 1 tbsp

To crush

Black pepper – 1 tsp
Garlic – ½ tsp
Cumin seeds – ½ tsp

For the seasoning

Butter – ½ tbsp
Crushed items
Coriander powder – ½ tbsp
Cumin power – ½ tbsp
Red chilli powder - ½ tbsp
Cilantro – ½ tbsp

Instructions

Heat oil in a wide open pan and add the whole spices. Add in half a tsp of cumin seeds, followed by chopped onion. When they turn translucent, add turmeric powder and ginger garlic paste.
When the raw aroma disappears add curry leaves. Add green chillies followed by tomatoes. Sauté well and simmer. Meanwhile wash and cut the mushrooms.
After the tomatoes are well cooked add the mushrooms and sauté well. Add in half a cup of water. Cover and cook for couple of minutes.
While the mushrooms are getting cooked, heat a seasoning ladle (or a small pan), add butter and season with crushed garlic, pepper and cumin seeds. Also, add all the powders and cilantro to the seasoning. Give a quick stir and add to the mushroom gravy. Add salt. Cook until all the water is evaporated and you get the nice and dry mushroom fry (or make it as a semi gravy according to your choice)