For a person who has recently transitioned from being a non-vegetarian to a vegetarian, it is certainly very hard to not miss the flavour of chicken. Other than the taste, the texture of the chicken is also something one misght miss when eating vegetarian food. Although there is nothing available that exactly imitates the flavour and the texture of chicken, there are a lot of close alternatives.
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One of them is soya. Soya is a famous dairy-free and gluten-free option that is equally popular among vegetarians as well as vegans. It is a great source of protein, potassium, vitamins, and dietary fibre. Soya chunks are one of the most popular ways of eating soya and have been used in a lot of East Asian countries for hundreds of years. In this article, one can find different types of soya chunk recipes that one can try making at home.
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* Soybean Sabzi
Soybean sabzi is an Indian-style main course dish that is made by using soya chunks and soaking them in water so that they get soft. These soya chunks are then added to a mixture made from tomato puree and sautéed onions. One can add different types of spices such as turmeric powder, garam masala, coriander powder, cumin seeds, and other spices that they would like to add. The final step is to sprinkle some fresh coriander leaves on the top and serve it with any kind of flatbread.
* Soybean Tikka Masala
This is the perfect alternative for people who want to eat something vegetarian, but get the joy of eating chicken tikka masala. This vegan version of chicken tikka masala is creamy and delightful. It is made by first marinating soya beans into a marinade of yoghurt and a lot of spices. Then the pieces of soyabean are grilled on top of a griller and a lot of lemon juice and chaat masala are added on top. This can be served with some fresh mint chutney.
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* Soyabean Pulao
Soybean pulao is a testament that one doesn't have to do a lot of hard work to make a delicious and satisfying dish. This simple yet soulful dish is made by simply taking some rice and adding soybean chunks, and lots of vegetables like onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, and carrots. In this mixture, one must add some spices like turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt and some garam masala. One can also add a little bit of saffron and cardamom for that extra flavour. This has to be put inside the pressure cooker and cooked until two whistles.
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* Soybean chilli
Soybean chilli is an innovative take on the classic Indo-Chinese dish paneer chilli or chicken chilli. The method of preparing this is pretty similar to preparing paneer chilli or chicken chilli. Soybean chunks are coated in a thick gravy made from tomato puree, soya sauce, chilli sauce, and some vinegar. Inside this gravy, one can also add some spring onions and bell peppers for crunch. Everything has to be mixed well until the soya beans properly absorb the gravy.
* Soybean Coconut Curry
Soybean coconut curry is an exotic and creamy dish that is prepared by making a thick gravy made from coconut milk, water, tomato puree, and a little bit of cream. In this curry, one can add a subtle blend of spices which is not too overpowering as the unique factor of this dish is its creaminess and not its spiciness. Inside the curry, one can add some soya chunks along with some freshly chopped bell peppers and curry leaves. This is a fresh, fragrant, and soulful curry that can be served with white rice.
* Soyabean Biryani
Soybean biryani is for all the vegan biryani lovers out there who want to desperately try a vegan biryani recipe that is a close alternative to chicken biryani. This decadent and meticulously prepared biryani is the result of carefully stocking up soyabean chunks, fragrant rice, sautéed and caramelised onions, and a lot of spices in layers. The whole mixture is slowly cooked until the rice, soyabean chunks and all the vegetables get properly cooked. Once everything is soft and cooked, the mixture is properly mixed with the help of a spatula so that all the ingredients get evenly distributed.
* Soybean Stir Fry
Soybean stir fry is a quick and healthy snack that one can make at home when one cannot think of a delicious recipe that gets prepared in 10 to 15 minutes. This is made by first covering the soya bean in some cornstarch and cooking it in a mixture of chilli sauce, soya sauce, tomato purée, and a lot of crunchy bell peppers.
