This soya chaap keema masala employs uses tempeh to mimic the texture of keema. All in an aromatic, flavorful curry that makes it even more exciting!
Jump to RecipeThe most popular plant-based alternative in India right now has to be soya chaap so today I’m recreating the meal I had on my only day in Delhi this past spring: soya chaap keema masala with pudina paratha.
I grew up visiting India every 2 or 3 years, but this time it had been 5 years. The biggest changes I noticed in the street food scene during that time were 1) momos everywhere and 2) entire shops dedicated to soya chaap. Tandoori chaap, afghani chaap, schezwan chaap, the list goes on. Still, my favorite way to eat soya chaap is in some sort of curry. Soya chaap is basically a combination of soybeans and wheat flour on a stick.
The version I had in Delhi had some crumbled soya chaap mimicking keema, but I didn’t have a lot of soya chaap to work with so I used tempeh. Once you marinate the chaap and cook the tempeh, you just add it to the curry along with some finishing spices. This soya chaap keema masala was so good with the flaky crispy pudina paratha, which is a flatbread stuffed with mint. I struggled with the paratha, as I do, but I pulled something together by the end!
Soya Chaap Keema Masala
Ingredients
marinated soya chaap
- 800 g soya chaap
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 inch ginger, grated
- ½ tsp red chili powder
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- neutral oil for frying
tempeh
- 8 oz. tempeh
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- ¼ tsp turmeric
- ¼ tsp red chili powder
- pinch of salt to taste
soya chaap keema masala
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 cloves
- 1 medium red onion, chopped
- 1 inch ginger, minced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 roma tomatoes, diced
- salt to taste
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp red chili powder
- ⅓ tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp ground cardamom
- ½ tsp kashmiri chili powder (optional)
- 1 cup water, plus more if needed
- ½ tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves) (optional – skip if you don't have it but really recommend for cooking Indian food!)
- cilantro for garnishing
Instructions
- Remove the soya chaap from sticks and cut into 1-inch pieces. Toss with garlic, ginger, spices, and salt until fully coated. Set aside until ready to fry.
- In a medium pan, heat about half an inch of oil over medium heat. The soya chaap chunks should be partially submerged in the oil. Lightly fry the soya chaap until slightly crisp and golden-brown on both sides. Remove the chaap and place on a paper towel-lined plate. Remove the oil as well and set it aside.
- Next, add tempeh to the pan. The pan should be well-greased from frying the chaap, so no oil needed. Stir occasionally, until the tempeh is browned. Add the spices and salt, and continue cooking for a few minutes. Remove the tempeh from the pan.
- Add 2 tbsp of the reserved oil. Add the bay leaf, cinnamon stick, and cloves, and stir for a minute or so. Add the onion and cook for 5-6 minutes, or until it starts turning translucent. Add ginger and garlic, cooking for 2-3 more minutes. Add tomatoes and a big pinch of salt. Combine well, until the tomatoes mush together with everything else in the pan. Add coriander, red chili powder, turmeric, cumin, and cardamom. Cook for a minute before taking the pan off the heat.
- Allow it to cool down a little before processing in a food processor. I like processing until it is mostly smooth but still has some texture.
- Add the curry back to the pan. Pour a cup of water into the food processor to get more of that flavor out! Slowly stir over medium-low heat until it is at the texture you want. Finish with kashmiri chili powder, garam masala, and kasoori methi.
- Garnish with cilantro and serve with rice, rotis, or parathas!
For more soya chaap recipes, check out:
