Soya Keema Pulao
By Kamiya Dalwani April 6, 2020

Soya beans, known for their high protein content, vitamins and minerals, are frequently processed into a variety of foods like soya granules, soya chunks, tofu etc. Soy granules and soya chunks can be used as an alternative to meat by vegetarians and vegans for many recipes. In this recipe I have used soya granules in a mock-meat keema pulao.

Yield – This recipe makes an excellent one-pot meal for 4 to 5 persons.

Ingredients:

Rice – 3 standard-sized bowls
Cooking oil
Soya granules 1 cup
Soya chunks 1 cup
Tomato 3 large
onion 3 small/ 2 medium
Ginger garlic paste1 tbsp
Salt – to taste
turmeric – 1 tsp
red chilli powder – to taste
coriander powder- to taste
Kitchen King masala or similar masala mix – 1 tbsp
For the Khada masala (quantity of each ingredient in pods/seeds/spoons)
Black cardamom- 1 pod
Black pepper- 3-4 seeds
Cinnamon stick – 1 inch
Bay leaf- 1 large sized
Star Anise- 1
Clove- 3-4
Mace/nutmeg- 1 medium sized
Coriander seeds- 1 tsp

Method

• Sift all the ingredients required for the khada masala to a pan. Cook for about five minutes or till you get the desired aroma from the spice mix (khada masala).
• Add chopped onions and cook till the onions are light brown in colour.
• Add ginger and garlic paste in the masala and let it cook for 2 minutes
• Add chopped tomatoes in it and cook till tomatoes become mushy and separated from the oil.
• Sprinkle salt, turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder and Kitchen King masala, cook for 2 to 3 minutes to form a broth or gravy.
• Soak soya granules and soya chunks in water for few minutes and strain them.
• Heat water in a cooking pot (karahi).Add rice, soya granules and soya chunks to the water and boil till all three are done.
• Add the broth to the mixture of rice, soya granules and soya chunks, and cook together for approximately 5 minutes or till the broth has blended into the rice and soya mixture.
• This pulao is best served with curds, pickle and salaan. You could also have papad on the side for a crunchy accompaniment.