Butter soya chaap is coming through for yet another plant-based alternative to butter chicken. Tender chunks of baked soya chaap sit in a creamy gravy made with aromatics, spices, tomatoes, and cashews.
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If you haven’t heard of soya chaap and have an interest in experimenting with plant-based alternatives, maybe you should scurry on over to a South Asian grocery store, where you’ll find this combination of soy and wheat on a stick. When I say it like that, I know it doesn’t sound great, but when you prepare it like this, it’s more than great. The soya chaap is marinated in nondairy yogurt, ginger, garlic, and some spices. You can fry these for a flakier, crispier texture, but in this recipe, I decided to bake them.
In India, simple alternatives like soya chaap and nutrela started taking off in the 1960s and the diversity of ways people use them today is pretty cool. Still, soya chaap dishes aren’t very common at restaurants in the US, so here is one way to prepare it yourself. We build flavor with some whole spices, onion, ginger, garlic, tomatoes, and ground spices. Blend with some cashews and lemon juice to make it creamy but without the cream. Perhaps pair with some vegan naan?
Butter Soya Chaap
Ingredients
marinated soya chaap
- 850 g soya chaap
- ½ cup unsweetened plain plant-based yogurt
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 inch ginger, minced
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp red chili powder
- ½ tsp turmeric
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp salt or to taste
butter soya chaap
- 3 tbsp vegan butter, divided *sub neutral oil
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 cloves
- 1 green cardamom
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 inch ginger, minced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 5 small tomatoes, chopped (about 1½ cups)
- salt to taste
- ¼ cup cashews *soaked for 2+ hours or in boiling water for at least 20 minutes
- 1 cup water
- ½ tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
- cilantro for garnishing
Instructions
- Start by either soaking the cashews for 2+ hours or for at least 20 minutes in boiling water.
- Marinate the soya chaap. Take the soya chaap off of the sticks and cut into 1-inch pieces. To a mixing bowl, add all the ingredients for the marinade: yogurt, garlic, ginger, lemon juice, garam masala, red chili powder, turmeric, black pepper, and salt. Coat the soya chaap in the marinade. Let the soya chaap marinate for at least 15 minutes, but the longer, the better!
- Place the soya chaap on a greased baking sheet or parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake the soya chaap at 400 F for 25 minutes.
- Prepare the curry: heat 2 tbsp vegan butter in a medium pan over medium heat. Add the whole spices: cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom. Let the spices bloom for a minute or so, until you can sense their aromas.
- Add the onions and stir until translucent and slightly golden, so about 4-5 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic. Cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and a big pinch of salt. Increase heat to medium-high and allow the tomato juices to mostly evaporate, which usually takes 6-8 minutes.
- Add the ground spices and combine well for a few minutes. Take the pan off of the heat and let it cool down a little before blending with cashews, watere, and lemon juice.
- In the same pan, heat 1 tbsp vegan butter over medium heat. Add kasoori methi and lightly fry it for a minute or so. Add the baked chaap, followed by the gravy. Thin the gravy with water until the texture is where you want it.
- Finish with extra crushed kasoori methi and cilantro! Serve with naan or a flatbread of your choice.
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