Soya Chunks Kurma

Ingredients

• ½ cup onions finely chopped
• 1 tomato medium sized, chopped
• 1 to 2 green chili chopped
• 1 tbsps coriander leaves chopped
• 1 tbsp mint leaves / pudina, chopped
• 1/8 tsp turmeric
• ½ tsp garam masala
• ¼ to ½ tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• Salt as needed
• 2 to 3 tbsp Oil

To marinate

• 1 cup Soya chunks / meal maker
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste or grated ginger garlic.
• ¼ tsp garam masala
• ¼ tsp red chili powder
• Salt little
• 1 tbsp Lemon juice

To grind (or ½ cup thick coconut milk or yogurt, refer notes)

• 2 tbsp Poppy seeds or cashews (optional)
• 2 to 3 tbsp Grated coconut
• ½ tsp saunf / fennel seeds

To temper

• 1 bay leaf
• ½ star flower / star anise (optional)
• ½ tsp shahi jeera or cumin / jeera
• 1 cinnamon stick / dalchini, small
• 4 cloves / laung
• 2 green cardamoms / elaichi

Steps

1. Heat 3 to 4 cups water, put in the soya chunks and turn the stove off. Leave the chunks for about 10 minutes to soften.
2. Squeeze the chunks, rinse them with plenty of water and squeeze them again so no water remains inside. Use them whole or cut them in half, as preferred.
3. Coat the chunks with 1 tsp ginger garlic paste, 1/4 tsp garam masala, 1/4 tsp red chili powder, salt and lemon juice. Leave them aside until required.
4. Set the onions and tomatoes aside after chopping them.
5. If using poppy seeds, dry roast them until crunchy. Grind them to powder with the saunf first, then grind in the coconut with very little water to form a thick paste.
6. Put oil in a pan and heat it, then add the dry spices.
7. Once the spices sizzle, add the onions and green chilies, frying until the onions are golden.
8. Fry the tomato until mushy, sprinkling in water if necessary to help it cook.
9. Put in the marinated soya chunks, coriander and mint leaves. Fry everything thoroughly until the ginger garlic's raw smell has disappeared.
10. Keep stirring well so the mixture does not burn, using a little more oil if necessary.
11. Put in the ground coconut paste or coconut milk. For the yogurt option, first mix a few tablespoons of the onion tomato masala into the yogurt, whisk well and pour this into the pot.
12. Follow with the red chili powder, garam masala and coriander powder. Mix thoroughly and fry for about 3 to 5 minutes, until fragrant.
13. Pour in just enough water to give a good quantity of kurma gravy, and adjust the salt as needed.
14. Simmer for about 5 minutes, cooking until the gravy reaches the consistency you want. Traces of oil will show on the kurma once it is done.
15. Finish the soya chunks kurma with a coriander-leaf garnish and offer it with rice or roti.