Vegan Recipe : Simple Homestyle Soyabean Curry

So, I have ditched the fancy-schmancy cooking and now I’m into simple, healthy cooking that does not require exotic ingredients and state-of-the-art equipment. {I still have my Makhani, Kadhai and Lababdar days….but not as much as before 😉 } If you’ve been following my posts, my new mantra is Sundar-Sasta-Tikau. That literally translates to Beautiful-Cheap-Durable. This kind of food would be suitable for health and fitness aficionados, bachelors and students who do not have access to much variety, huge varieties/fresh markets, food processors, ovens etc. and people who wish to simplify their life with minimal belongings or hope to keep it simple to avoid stress and decision fatigue. Also, if you’re on a budget or would like to minimize the time you spend sweating it out in the kitchen, I have quite a few recipes to share with you. Let’s look at some humble pulses like soya beans now.

Soya is extremely nutritious. It has an insane amount of protein. Among all the lentils and pulses available in India, it is one of the cheapest. Not many people cook soya beans. A lot of folks, especially my vegetarian friends may be familiar with processed soya products like nuggets, chura(mince) etc. But, I’m going to show you how to cook this really humble and healthy bean au natural which will help your body assimilate all of that dietary protein without any wastage. The bioavailability of protein from processed foods is a lot lesser from what you read on those labels. So, it is always advisable to stick to natural whole foods instead.

Let’s get cooking now.

Ingredients:

100gms dehydrated soya beans
1 medium onion, finely chopped
6-7 cloves of garlic, smashed
1″ ginger, smashed
1 big tomato, finely chopped
a pinch of asafoetida (hing)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp garam masala powder/any curry powder of your choice.
1 tsp red chili powder
2 tbsp boiled and mashed cooked dal/besan powder to thicken
salt to taste

Instructions:

Wash the beans well and soak it in some water overnight, about 8-12 hours. I always sprinkle a bit of salt to soften the beans. I never use baking soda to cook my beans. It is a very common but unhealthy practice.

It triples in size within a few hours itself. If you are awake, I suggest changing the water several times as this washes away some of the enzymes that are difficult to digest. I follow this for all pulses, especially chanas. Don’t worry, soya is lighter on the stomach. It is a whole lot easier than kabuli chana. But, it is a good practice and I definitely recommend it.

Let’s get chopping. These are the most basic/standard ingredients for a simple Indian dish.

I like to pound the ginger and garlic in a mortar and pestle. You can alternatively use ginger-garlic paste or just julienne/slice/finely chop these ingredients.

Heat a pressure cooker. Add some cooking oil. Let it get hot.

Then add the freshly pounded ginger-garlic and take a few moments to appreciate the aromas. I love the smell and taste of garlic. It is definitely one of my favourite ingredients. It’s so heart healthy and reduces inflammation in the body.

Add some salt now. Salt will draw moisture out of the vegetables quicker and hence hasten the cooking process. So, you’ll save gas and time.

Add the beans with some water. Make sure there is adequate water in your cooker because we don’t want to burn the dish now, do we? If your’e using dal to thicken, add that along as well. Alternatively, you can use besan.

After the first whistle, reduce the flame and simmer until you hear 5 whistles. Remember, timings may vary depending upon a lot of factors. Once done, wait for the pressure to be released on it’s own and open after a while. Adjust seasonings and consistency to desired parameters.

I served this soya bean curry with chapatis and a side of Maharashtrian mashed potato bhaji. It is usually served with puris, but I didn’t want to deep fry my rotis.

That’s what I call a simple, nutritious, protein-dense, homestyle vegan meal. Bon Appetit!

I hope this post encourages you to try out soya beans and make it a staple in your diet and kitchen. This is the second time in this month I have eaten it and I really like it. Besides, when I count my macros for the day, I realize I’ve surpassed my protein goals, which feels great.

-RUELHA 
www.ruelha.com 
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