Spicy Soy protein curry

Spicy Soy protein curry

This is a vegetarian recipe that tastes like chicken. I originally wrote the title of this recipe as “Vegetarian mock chicken curry”. I decided to change the title because some vegetarians will be put off by the word chicken as it would remind them too much of the real meat. Mock chicken is something that tastes like chicken but not containing any chicken meat. It may not look like chicken.
This kind of dish can be made from different types of ingredients. You can start with extra firm tofu and press it to release all the moisture. This is done by covering the tofu with paper towels or kitchen towels and putting a heavy weight on top. The moisture will pass on to the towels. You repeat this process two or three times. You will have a very hard tofu with good texture.
Another way is to freeze the tofu for 3 days. Then you will have a tofu with good texture that will taste closer to real meat.Another way is to use wheat gluten called seitan. This is wheat protein. Seitan gives a good taste and texture to the dish that is made out of it. It is allergenic. Those who are allergic to gluten should avoid this this.
You can use TVP (Textured vegetable protein) to make a curry like this. TVP comes in dehydrated form and you have to re hydrate it before use.  I have made curry like this with TVP. It did not taste as good as the curry I am showing here. If TVP is used as a meat extender with real chicken, it absorbs the flavors from the chicken it tastes great.
I bought this Asian version of soy protein. It is sold in frozen form.  It makes extremely delicious curry. This in my opinion is the better than all the other versions mentioned above.
I have posted an article about adverse of soy here.  You should take note of the estrogens found in the soy. You will also want to note that 93% of soy produced in the US is genetically modified (GMO). We are still not sure that GMO is harmful to human health. Monsanto believes that genetically modified soy is healthy (of course to their bottom line). Monsanto has influenced FDA to think the same way.  You be the judge.
On balance I think it is ok to consume soy products occasionally.

Mock chicken

Today I am going to make a curry with the soy protein that comes frozen. It tasted absolutely wonderful.

                                    Recipe summary 
                                              For
                               Spicy Soy protein curry
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes

Serves: 4

1. Cut 200 grams frozen soy protein into bite size pieces.

Bite size soy protein pieces

2. Marinate the soy nuggets with, 1 tsp chili powder, ¼ tsp pepper powder and ½ tsp salt for about 15 minutes.

3. To make the tomato sauce blend 80 grams tomato (1) chopped coarsely, 90 grams onion (one), chopped coarsely, 4 cloves garlic sliced and 10 grams ginger – peeled and chopped in a blender until smooth. Add the required amount of water according to your blender.

Ingredients

4. Boil 1 potato. You can boil the potato in a microwave oven 3 minutes on each side on high.

5. Heat a medium sized  saute pan. When it is hot add 2 tbsp vegetable oil. When the oil is hot reduce heat to medium and add 45 grams onion (one-half) chopped coarsely and ½ tsp cumin seeds. Fry for about 5 minutes to get the aroma.

6. Add 2 whole dried red chilies and fry for 1 minute and add 1 pandan leaf cut into small strips. Then add balance 45 grams of the onion. Do not fry just stir once. Add 1 green chili thinly sliced and 10 curry leaves. Fry for 2 minutes.

Blended spice

7. Add the soy protein,  blended tomato sauce,  1 tbsp curry powder,  ½ tsp coriander powder and 2 cups of water. Bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer covered for 10 minutes.

8. Add the boiled potato. I had  cut it into pieces. I also crumbled a few pieces to thicken the curry. Add tamarind juice extracted from 10 grams of tamarind pulp. 

Spicy Soy protein curry

9. Add ½ cup coconut cream, ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper powder and cook uncovered for 3 minutes in medium heat.Taste for seasoning and adjust. The curry is ready.

10. It can be served with rice or any kind of bread. We served this curry with a mixed vegetable rice, cucumber and tomato salad, probiotics and mango pickle. try this recipe if you come across this frozen soy meat.It is really wonderful.


Spicy Soy protein curry is ready.
                                            

                    Recipe follows in detail with  pictures.



Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Serves: 4

Soy protein 

Ingredients
Main

200 grams Soy protein (frozen)
90 grams onion (one) chopped coarsely
Others
1 potato
1 green chilli thinly sliced
10 curry leaves
1 pandan leaf cut into small strips
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup of coconut cream
10 grams tamarind pulp - for juice
Spices
2 whole dried red chilies
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon curry powder
½ teaspoon coriander powder
 ¼ teaspoon pepper powder

Ingredients

For tomato sauce
80 grams tomato (1) chopped coarsely
90 grams onion (one) chopped coarsely
4 cloves garlic sliced
10 grams ginger – peeled and chopped

Tomato, onion,garlic and ginger

For marinade
1 teaspoon chili powder
 ¼teaspoon pepper powder
½ teaspoon salt
Preparation

Cut soy protein into bite size pieces

Bite size soy protein pieces

Marinate the soy nuggets with, chili powder, pepper powder and salt for about 15 minutes.
Blend all the items for tomato sauce in a blender until smooth. Add the required amount of water according to your blender.

Blended spice

Boil 1 potato. You can boil the potato in a microwave oven 3 minutes on each side on high.
Method
Heat a medium sized  saute pan. When it is hot add the vegetable oil. When the oil is hot reduce heat to medium and add half  of the onion and cumin seeds. Fry for about 5 minutes to get the aroma.

Add dry chilies and fry for 1 minute and add pandan leaf. Then add rest of the onion. Do not fry just stir
once.

Adding more onion 

Add green chili and curry leaves. Fry for 2 minutes.

Adding green chili and curry leaves.

Add the soy protein

Adding soy protein

Add the blended tomato sauce

Adding the blended sauce

Add curry powder,   coriander powder and 2 cups of water.

Adding chili powder, coriander powder and water

Bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer covered for 10 minutes.

Curry being cooked

Add the potato . I have Boiled  and cut into pieces. I have also crumbled a few pieces to thicken the curry. Add tamarind juice.

Boiled potato



Potato added

Add coconut cream, salt and pepper powder and cook uncovered for 3 minutes in medium heat.Taste for seasoning and adjust.

Coconut milk added

The curry is ready.

Curry is ready

 It can be served with rice or any kind of bread. We served this curry with a mixed vegetable rice, cucumber and tomato salad, probiotics and mango pickle. try this recipe if you come across this frozen soy meat.It is really wonderful.

Soy protein curry ,tomato cucumber salad pickle, pro biotics and rice

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Finished probiotics