Soy Chunks(Meal maker) Korma :A Protein packed gravy curry with Soy chunks and veggies

Christmas vacation is here. So no more waking up in the morning, packing Dabbas. No more school pick ups n drop off. Yoo hoo! Of course these are the perks associated with a home filled with noise pollution and watching Tom and Jerry live. That would be my two boys and apparently their favorite past time is fighting and yelling😁. And my brother named them Tom n Jerry, LOL ! But again any home with two boys is like that, right. 

Still,  I love holidays. Coz in between all the chaos  I can do my favorite thing, blogging. I see lots of un edited recipes piling up, my laptop overflowing with step by step cooking photos. So I have decided that I will do some blog clean up work😄. As a part that Christmas resolution, this is one of the recipe I have decided to work on. 

Soy chunks are always available in my pantry. I love to use them in Biryanis and Pulao recipes. Their chewy texture is really addictive. Soy chunks tend to absorb the flavors from the dish they are put in and don't have much of their own flavor. So they can be used in combination with any vegetable. Most importantly they are a good plant protein source. By the way they are also known as Meal maker, in India. Buy a good brand of soy chunks and not the loose ones in a plastic bag. For some reason they are not that tasty. 

I made this Korma to have it along with Plain Pulao. Usually Potatoes or Eggs go into my Korma recipes but today I wanna try something different. When I grabbed to add soy chunks to my Pulao, I thought why don't I use em on Korma. So there you go, thats how I made this recipe. 

Korma can be made in few different ways. Some recipes use coconut and poppy seeds and gravy is white in color.Some recipes use melon seeds in the gravy. I always made Korma with Tomato dry fruit gravy, which is what I have done today. This is how my mom makes it. One little tweak I did is, I have added lil bit of coconut milk which was left from using in Pulao.It gave a nice taste without overpowering Korma with coconut flavor.

The Korma was really yummy and rich,creamy  from using dry fruits. The Soy chunks were perfect for the recipe.I have also added veggies to the Korma to make it more flavorful. Overall this is a must try recipe, if you are looking for something different. Also check my Egg Korma recipe on the blog.These two Kormas are great with any Pulao, Puri or Naan or even with Biryani.

Servings:
Four (4)
Total time:
30 minutes
Category:
Vegetables, Tofu/Paneer
Author:
Praveena Gudipati

Ingredients: (I use US standard measuring; 1cup=8oz=250ml)

• 1 cup Soy Chunks
• 2 carrots
• 1/2 cup Green peas
• 1/4 cup Green Beans
• 1 tsp Cumin Powder
• 1 tsp Coriander powder
• 1 tsp Garam masala or adjust
• 4 tbsp Coconut milk optionally
• Cilantro leaves
•  1/4 tsp turmeric 

To blend:

• 3/4 th onion
• 1.5-2 tomatoes
• 1.5 tbsp Ginger garlic paste 
• 10 each, Cashews and Almonds

 

Soy Chunks(Meal maker) Korma Step-by-Step Recipe 

1. Boil water in a big microwave safe bowl and soak Soy chunks in there.
   
2. Soak dry fruits in warm water, at least 20 min. This way they will soften faster.
   
3. Chop onion, tomatoes into medium size pieces.
4. Chop 2 carrots into rounds. If you want to add beans chop them too, into 1 inch pieces. I used fresh veggies, except peas. But if you want you can use mixed frozen veggies.
5. In a pan heat 2 tsp oil. Cook onions till slightly brown
6. Add ginger garlic paste. Fry for a minute. Add tomatoes and cook till soft. 
7. Blend onion tomato mixture together with soaked dry fruits. Also add turmeric.  You can remove skin of almonds or keep it. I kept it.Blend smooth.
8. Keep the paste aside.
9. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds. Add carrots and cook for few minutes. Add beans and peas. Cook couple minutes. Squeeze water out and add soy chunks to the pan.Stir. 
10. Add blended paste and water (to thin the gravy), to the vessel. 
    
11. Add 4 tbsp coconut milk optionally, to the curry. 
12. Add salt, chilli powder and masalas. The final recipe was medium spicy. If you like it spicier, add more masalas. Stir well.
    
    
    
    
13. Boil till oil floats on top. You can add more water if needed. Adjust the consistency per your preference.
14. Garnish with chopped cilantro.Turn iff stove. 
15. Serve with Roti, Pulao or Puri. 
    

 Related Recipes:
Egg Korma

Hyderabadi Vegetable Dum Biryani

Coconut Pulao (with Coconut milk)

Kala chana Masala

Dal Makhani (Lentils cooked in butter)