Kadai soya chunks aka karahi soya chunks with gravy is a spicy, flavoured nutrela recipes. In this recipe, boiled soya chunks are cooked in onion-tomato gravy with chunks of bell peppers or capsicum, coriander leaves and a homemade ground spice mixture. It is a versatile curry which can be relished with Indian flatbreads or rice items like jeera rice, pulao etc.
Table of Contents
About the recipe
Tips and Suggestions
How to make Kadai Soya chunks (step wise photos)
Recipe Card
About the recipe
Kadai soya chunks aka karahi soya chunks is my own variation of Kadai paneer which is widely popular in India. It is a spicy curry and a powerhouse of flavours. Any kadai recipe preparation is always prepared in kadai masala and it results best when prepared with homemade masala. Secondly, it is always prepared in a Kadai or Indian wok. The name of these recipes originates from there. For any karahi preparation, like kadai paneer, karahi chicken, karahi prawn, karahi mutton and even kadai soya chunks, these two things are mandatory to uplift the authenticity of the dishes.
Kadai soya chunks recipe is mostly prepared in two ways.
- Kadai soya chunks Dry
- Kadai soya chunks with Gravy
Both preparations taste equally fantastic. But today, I am going to share with you the karahi soya chunks with gravy.
What are Soya chunks?
Soya chunks are basically prepared with defatted soy flour. It is prepared with soya beans after extracting the oil from it. So, they are a great source of plant-based protein. They are usually made into either granules or chunks. The texture of soya chunks is very similar to meat; if they are cooked properly, they taste similar to meat.
This mocking meat is known by different names other than soya chunks. It is famous as meal-maker, Nutella, nutri nuggets, soya nuggets, soya vadi and even vegetarian meat. It is easily available in any Indian grocery shop.
Soya chunks are widely used in Indian households and in Indian cuisine. It is used in myriad recipes in different forms of cooking. It is used to prepare different rice items like pilaf, biryani and different ranges of curries.
Soya chunks are very versatile and get cooked very quickly. So, it is considered a perfect option for busy working days.
Kadai soya chunks are a very simple and easy soya chunks curry recipe. It can be prepared very quickly without any hassle. The difficulty level of cooking this nutrela recipe is very low. So you can cosider it as a full-proof recipe and perfect for beginners as well. Most of the ingredients used for the recipe are easily available in any Indian kitchen pantry.
Ingredients for Kadai Soya chunks
Soya chunks: The primary ingredient of the recipe which provides a base and a bite to the recipe.
Onion & Ginger-Garlic: These are the most common ingredients used to give texture and flavour to the curry.
Tomato: The addition of tomatoes adds a slight tanginess and enhances the taste of the dish.
Capsicum: The addition of capsicum enhances the taste and flavour of the curry.
Green chillies: Green chillies give flavour and heaty touch to the curry.
Coriander leaves: The addition of coriander leaves enhances the flavour of the sabzi.
Whole spices: I have used bay leaf, cloves, cardamoms, and cinnamon sticks for the tempering of the dish.
Ground spices: I have used red chilli powder and turmeric powder for the recipe, other than kadai masala.
Kadai masala: One of the most essential and special spice mixes which makes the kadai preparation different from others. I have used coriander seeds, fennel seeds, black peppercorns, dry red chillies, cloves, cardamom and cumin seeds to prepare the masala.
Salt: The most necessary component which adds basic taste to the curry.
Oil: I have used olive oil for the recipe, but you can use any edible oil instead of it.
Water: It is added for the gravy. You can add it according to your desired consistency.
Kadai soya chunks with step-by-step photos and instructions have been provided in the ‘Instructions’ section of the recipe. But before jumping into the recipe, let me share a few interesting facts about the recipe.
Tips to prepare perfect Kadai Soya chunks
- Don’t skip whole spices during the time of cooking the masala. It induces a nice aroma to the dish.
- Fry the onions and ginger-garlic properly before adding tomato chunks or else it won’t taste good.
- Don’t skip capsicum from the curry. It will give a nice flavour to the dish.
- You can adjust the amount of red chilli powder and green chillies, according to your own taste.
How to make Kadai Soya chunks?
To prepare kadai soya chunks, first prepare the kadai masala. Put a pan on flame and allow it to become dry. Turn the flame medium low and add the whole spices – coriander seeds, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, black peppercorns, dry red chillies, cloves and cardamom into the pan. Stir it continuously and dry roast them till they change their colour slightly and a nice aroma come out of the spices. Then transfer the spices to a separate plate and allow cooling down completely. Now, transfer the whole spices into the small jar of a grinder and close the lid. Pulse it to fine dust and keep it aside.
Then wash and cut all the veggies – onion, ginger, garlic, coriander leaves and keep them ready to use.
Add tomato chunks into the jar of a grinder and make a smooth paste of it. Keep it aside.
Now, add water, salt to a pan and put them on a high flame until the water starts boiling. Now, add the soya chunks into the pan and boil it for 4-5 minutes until the soya chunks turn soft. Then immediately transfer the soya chunks into either cold water or iced water. Squeeze out the excess water with the help of your hand and keep the soya chunks aside on a separate plate.
After this, put a pan on flame and allow it to become completely dry. Then add oil into the pan and once the oil is hot, add whole spices – bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon stick, cardamoms into the pan for tempering and allow it to crackle.
Add chopped onions to the pan and cook it on a medium flame for 8-10 minutes until it becomes soft and translucent. Add the ginger-garlic paste to the pan and cook it on low flame for another 2-3 minutes.
Add the tomato paste to the pan and give a nice mix. Cook it on a medium flame for 4-5 minutes until the masala releases oil. Then add salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and give a nice mix. Cook it on low flame for another 2 minutes.
Then add boiled soya chunks, green chillies into the pan and mix it well. Cover the pan and cook it on low flame for 5-6 minutes.
Add the capsicum chunks into the pan and mix it well. Cover the pan and cook it on low flame for 3-4 minutes.
Add kadai masala powder into the pan and give a nice mix. Cook it on the lowest flame for another 2 minutes until the raw smell of the spices goes away.
Then add water into the pan for the gravy and give a stir. Turn the flame high and cook it till the gravy starts boiling. Turn the flame low and cook it for 3-4 minutes.
Now, add the chopped coriander leaves into the pan and mix it well. Check the salt of the gravy and add if required. Switch off the flame and your kadai soya chunks recipe is ready to serve now.
Many Indian curry recipe have already been shared in my previous posts. You can check a few of them like
Kadai paneer with gravy
Kadai broccoli
Baby corn masala
Spicy mushroom curry
Capsicum onion tomato sabji
Palak matar
..And Many more…
Ingredients:
1 cup = 250 ml
For the Kadai Masala
- 2 dry red Chillies
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
- 2 teaspoons Coriander seeds (Dhania)
- ½ teaspoon Fennel seeds (Saunf)
- 8-10 black Peppercorns (Kali Mirch)
- 2 Cloves
- 2 green Cardamoms
To boil the soya chunks
- 1½ cups Soya chunks
- 3 cups Water
- 1 teaspoon Salt
Other ingredients for kadai soya chunks
- 2 Onions, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Ginger-Garlic paste
- 2 Tomatoes, for paste
- ½ Capsicum, medium chunks
- 4 tablespoons Coriander leaves, finely chopped
- 2-3 green Chillies
- 2 Bay leaves (Tejpatta)
- 5 Cloves (Laung)
- 2 inches Cinnamon stick (Dalchini), broken
- 2 Cardamoms (Hari elaichi)
- ¾ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon red Chilli powder
- ¾ tablespoon Kadai masala
- 1¼ cup Water for the gravy, adjust accordingly
- Salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons Oil for cooking
Instructions:
For the Kadai Masala
- Put the pan on flame and let it become completely dry. Add cumin seeds, dry red chillies, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, black peppercorns, cloves and cardamoms into the pan. Dry roast them on low flame for 2-3 minutes until a nice aroma comes out.
- Switch off the flame and transfer them to the jar of a grinder. Let the masala cool down.
- Grind them for a minute and keep the masala aside.
For the Curry
- Wash and cut all the veggies – onion, ginger, garlic, coriander leaves and keep them ready to use.
- Add the tomato chunks to a grinder jar and close the lid. Pulse it to a smooth paste and keep it aside.
- Add 3 cups water, 1 teaspoon salt into a pan and mix it. Put the pan on high flame until the water starts boiling. Then add 1½ cups soya chunks into the pan and boil it for 4-5 minutes until the soya chunks turn soft.
- Immediately transfer the soya chunks into either cold water or iced water. Squeeze out the excess water with the help of your hand and keep the soya chunks aside on a separate plate.
- Now, put a pan on flame and allow it to become completely dry. Then add 3 tablespoons of oil to the pan.
- Once the oil is hot, add 5 cloves, 2 inches cinnamon stick, 2 cardamoms, 2 bay leaves into the pan for tempering and allow it to crackle.
- Add chopped onions to the pan and cook it on a medium flame for 8-10 minutes until it becomes soft and translucent.
- Add 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste into the pan and cook it on low flame for another 2-3 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste (Step 2) into the pan and give a nice mix. Cook it on a medium flame for 4-5 minutes until the masala releases oil.
- Add salt, ¾ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon red chilli powder and give a nice mix. Cook it on low flame for another 2 minutes.
- Add boiled soya chunks, 2-3 green chillies into the pan and mix it well. Cover the pan and cook it on low flame for 5-6 minutes.
- Add the capsicum chunks into the pan and mix it well. Cover the pan and cook it on low flame for 3-4 minutes.
- Add ¾ tablespoon of kadai masala powder into the pan and give a nice mix. Cook it on the lowest flame for another 2 minutes until the raw smell of the spices goes away.
- Add 1¼ cup water into the pan for the gravy and give a stir. Turn the flame high and cook it till the gravy starts boiling. Turn the flame low and cook it for 3-4 minutes.
- Add 4 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves into the pan and mix it well.
- Check the salt of the gravy and add if required. Switch off the flame and your kadai soya chunks is ready to serve now.
Serving Instruction
Transfer the Kadai soya chunks to a serving bowl. Serve hot or warm to enjoy the best taste. Pair up the succulent dish with your favourite rice item or flatbread and enjoy the Indian delicacy.
Ingredients
1 cup = 250 ml
For the Kadai Masala
- 2 dry red Chillies
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
- 2 teaspoons Coriander seeds (Dhania)
- ½ teaspoon Fennel seeds (Saunf)
- 8-10 black Peppercorns (Kali Mirch)
- 2 Cloves
- 2 green Cardamoms
To boil the soya chunks
- 1½ cups Soya chunks
- 3 cups Water
- 1 teaspoon Salt
Other ingredients for kadai soya chunks
- 2 Onions, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Ginger-Garlic paste
- 2 Tomatoes, for paste
- ½ Capsicum, medium chunks
- 4 tablespoons Coriander leaves, finely chopped
- 2-3 green Chillies
- 2 Bay leaves (Tejpatta)
- 5 Cloves (Laung)
- 2 inches Cinnamon stick (Dalchini), broken
- 2 Cardamoms (Hari elaichi)
- ¾ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon red Chilli powder
- ¾ tablespoon Kadai masala
- 1¼ cup Water for the gravy, adjust accordingly
- Salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons Oil for cooking
Instructions
For the Kadai Masala
- Put the pan on flame and let it become completely dry. Add cumin seeds, dry red chillies, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, black peppercorns, cloves and cardamoms into the pan. Dry roast them on low flame for 2-3 minutes until a nice aroma comes out.
- Switch off the flame and transfer them to the jar of a grinder. Let the masala cool down.
- Grind them for a minute and keep the masala aside.
For the Curry
- Wash and cut all the veggies - onion, ginger, garlic, coriander leaves and keep them ready to use.
- Add the tomato chunks to a grinder jar and close the lid. Pulse it to a smooth paste and keep it aside.
- Add 3 cups water, 1 teaspoon salt into a pan and mix it. Put the pan on high flame until the water starts boiling. Then add 1½ cups soya chunks into the pan and boil it for 4-5 minutes until the soya chunks turn soft.
- Immediately transfer the soya chunks into either cold water or iced water. Squeeze out the excess water with the help of your hand and keep the soya chunks aside on a separate plate.
- Now, put a pan on flame and allow it to become completely dry. Then add 3 tablespoons of oil to the pan.
- Once the oil is hot, add 5 cloves, 2 inches cinnamon stick, 2 cardamoms, 2 bay leaves into the pan for tempering and allow it to crackle.
- Add chopped onions to the pan and cook it on a medium flame for 8-10 minutes until it becomes soft and translucent.
- Add 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste into the pan and cook it on low flame for another 2-3 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste (Step 2) into the pan and give a nice mix. Cook it on a medium flame for 4-5 minutes until the masala releases oil.
- Add salt, ¾ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon red chilli powder and give a nice mix. Cook it on low flame for another 2 minutes.
- Add boiled soya chunks, 2-3 green chillies into the pan and mix it well. Cover the pan and cook it on low flame for 5-6 minutes.
- Add the capsicum chunks into the pan and mix it well. Cover the pan and cook it on low flame for 3-4 minutes.
- Add ¾ tablespoon of kadai masala powder into the pan and give a nice mix. Cook it on the lowest flame for another 2 minutes until the raw smell of the spices goes away.
- Add 1¼ cup water into the pan for the gravy and give a stir. Turn the flame high and cook it till the gravy starts boiling. Turn the flame low and cook it for 3-4 minutes.
- Add 4 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves into the pan and mix it well.
- Check the salt of the gravy and add if required. Switch off the flame and your kadai soya chunks is ready to serve now.
