Contrary to popular belief, when vegetarians plan to sizzle something fancy, their choices are not limited to vegetables and paneer. Soyabean is an integral part of veg cuisine, especially in India as it paves the way for many innovative cooking styles. Interestingly, soyabean can be easily camouflaged due to its texture, neutral taste and the ease of transforming it according to the recipe.
While chaap has taken north India by storm, soya keema and nuggets too are coming to occupy equally popular slots. These items are versatile and can be easily shaped and spiced to resemble meat-style dishes. Here are five innovative ways to use soya mince or keema for a veggie meal:
Maggi Soya Pakoda
Boil some Maggi noodles or any instant noodles. Let it cool off before adding the Maggi masala, some ketchup and a spoon of mayonnaise. Mix some boiled soya keema and bind in balls using cornflour. Fry these balls in a flash.
Soyabean Crisps
Make a pasta sauce using cumin, coriander as well as mixed some herbs. Use the usual pepper salt and tomato sauce for seasoning. Add soya keema that is boiled and strained thoroughly. Add chunks of bell peppers and mushrooms or any veggies that have a crunch. Cook till it is dry and crusty on the pan. Serve with cheese shavings on top.
Kebabi Soya
Marinate boiled and strained soya keema with yoghurt, paprika for colour along with usual Indian spices as per taste. Take bamboo skewers and frame seekh kebab-like sticks all around the skewer. Roast on a cast iron skillet till done. Make sure you use well smoked mustard oil for best taste.
Soya Salad
Mix a healthy Mediterranean style and Indian flavoured salad. Add chickpeas, soya keema and cheese to the iceberg lettuce leaves, rose tomatoes as well as olives or boiled potatoes. Drizzle with olive oil and a splash of lime. Innovate freely as per what veggies or spices go into the salad bowl.
Soya Cheese Taco
Make a crunch paratha on the lines of a taco shell. Spread some cheese sauce inside and fill up with well-cooked minced keema. Make the latter like a routine gravy but dry it up. Garnish with seasonal herbs and boiled sweet corn. Serve with mayonnaise and green chutney. After all, we have a jugaad style desi version for the best of international foods, don’t we?
Soyabean is a good source of protein but who thought it would end up being such a tasty snacker? Try these items to know exactly how tasty a simple soya keema can be. Soya is the new awesome thing to snack on. Especially with so much noise around conscious eating that helps keep our ecosystem in balance, say hello to sizzling soya snacks this season.
