Soy meat, colloquially known in India as “meal maker,” is a textured vegetable protein. I am not sure if this is used in other cuisines. I am usually skeptical about vegan alternatives. But I used to have this before I knew of the word vegan. When cooked, the chunks are textured, soft, and chewy. They taste almost bland with a mild soy flavor. They can be used as an alternative to meat in almost all Indian recipes. You can find more info about soy meat here.
How to cook soy meat:
- Cooking soy meat is very easy. Uncooked soy chunks are dry pellets about the size of a penny. When cooked they almost double in size.
- Bring 3 cups of water to boil in a deep sauce pan. Slow down the heat to medium.
- Add 1 cup of dry soy chunks. Let it boil for about 5 minutes. Stir once every minute and take care so that the froth doesn’t overflow.
- Switch off the flame. Close the pan with a lid and let it sit for 10 minutes. When cooked properly, the soy chunks should be soft, chewy, and fluffy.
- Now add a cup of cold water to the sauce pan. Take a handful of cooked soy chunks and squeeze the water out of them. Repeat till done.
- Now you may add the soy chunks to the recipe. Some prefer to add whole soy chunks. You may also chop them into halves once cooked. Make sure you use a sharp knife and cut across the grain and not along.
Where can you get soy meat:
It can be usually procured from any Indian grocery store. The most common brand is called Nutrela and costs about 2 USD a pack. Here’s the Amazon link.
Gopi's Kitchen 