Vegetarian Kheema

Ideas kick in when there is a necessity and at the same time, lack of certain resources. In this case, it was a fine evening and I entered the kitchen to make dinner. I opened the fridge and voila! No veggies. I hardly had a couple of tomatoes and an onion. Just then, these beautiful small protein rocks caught my attention. And I thought; let’s make something out of them.

I started making preparations and the rest is below! Hope you’ll enjoy this delicious recipe.

Ingredients

Soya Chunks – 1 cup

Onion – 2 cups, finely chopped

Cashews - 8 - 10, cut in to pieces

Ginger Garlic Paste – 1 tsp.

Green Chilies – 3, slit vertically

Cumin Seeds – ¼ tsp.

Chili Powder – ½ tsp.

Turmeric Powder – ¼ tsp.

Dhanya Jeera Powder – ½ tsp.

Tandoori Chicken Masala (optional) – ½ tsp.

Garam Masala – ½ tsp.

Vinegar – 1 tsp.

Mustard Oil – 2 tbsp.

Water – 5 cups

Salt – to taste

Servings – Serves 2 to 3

Note – I added the tandoori chicken masala just to add more flavor. It can totally be omitted in this recipe.

  

Method

1. In a saucepan, pour 5 cups of water with a pinch of salt and bring it to a boil.

2. Add soya chunks in to the boiling water and let them stay in till they become double in size (about 7 – 8 minutes).

3. Turn off the flame, drain the water and squeeze excess water from the chunks.

4. Chop the soya chunks in to very small pieces.

5. Take a pan and heat the oil. Add cumin seeds. Upon spluttering, add cashews. Once the cashews get roasted, add chopped onion and cook until it becomes golden brown in color.

6. Add ginger garlic paste and saute for about a minute. Add the chopped soya chunks and put in turmeric powder, dhanya jeera powder, chili powder, garam masala and tandoori chicken masala.

7. Mix all the ingredients well and after about a minute, add vinegar.

8. Cook covered until all the masalas mix properly with soya.

     Note: If the mixture seems to be too dry, then pour in quarter cup of water to make it a little moist.

9. Turn off the flame and serve hot with rice and tomato rasam. The combo is out this world. :)