Soya Nugget Pulao

Is the climate really changing??? Its been unusually warm for November here in Scotland. We are having frost spells once a week. I remember it used to be more often than that. Not that I am complaining :-) . I just hope this is not the lull before a storm. I definitely don't want a snow storm like last year when P and I were stuck in the traffic for 12 hours each.

Coming to today's recipe, I am not going to start off on the health benefits of soya. I am sure you guys know and have heard from loads of other blogs. I am not going to repeat it. Incase you are unaware of the benefits of soya, just google it. You will be inundated with information.

After knowing the benefits of soya, I have been wanting to incorporate it in our meals forever but never got around to do it. About a month back, I came across packets of soya nuggets and soya kheema in the Asian grocery store. Without thinking twice, I picked them up. They've been sitting in my cupboard from then on.

Last Sunday, I decided I need to start using the soya. So I made this soya nugget pulao and all of us liked it. Here's the recipe:

Ingredients
1.5 cups Basmati Rice – washed and soaked in water for atleast 20 mins
1.5 cups Soya Chunks – prepared (See Note 1)
1 small Onion – chopped
1 tsp Ginger Paste
1 tsp Garlic Paste
1 Tomato – chopped
1 tsp Shahjeera / Caraway seeds
1 Bay Leaf
5 Cloves
4 Green Cardamoms
1 inch Cinnamon stick
2 tbsp Oil
Salt to taste
Chopped Coriander Leaves to Garnish

Make a paste:
Stems of 1 bunch of coriander
10 – 12 mint leaves
2 Chillies

Method

1. In a pan, heat the oil. When the oil is hot, add the Shahjeera, Bay Leaf, Cloves, Green Cardamoms and Cinnamon Stick and fry for a minute.
2. Add the chopped Onion and fry till translucent.
3. Add the Ginger and Garlic pastes and fry till the raw smell goes.
4. Now add the tomatoes and cook till the masala comes together.
5. Now add the paste and fry till the raw smell goes. It is very important to fry this paste well if you want the pulao to taste good.
6. Now add the drained rice and fry for 5 minutes.
7. Add 1.5 cups water, salt and mix .
8. Get to a boil on medium high without covering the pan.
9. Once it boils, reduce to sim and cover and cook till done.
10. Garnish with chopped Coriander Leaves and serve hot with raita.

Note 1: Boil some salted water in a pan. Add the soya chunks and cover and cook for 10 mins. Take the pan off the heat and let it sit for atleast 30 minutes. You should see that the soya nuggets have swollen up. Drain and squeeze out the extra water from the nuggets and cut / tear them to desired size. The nuggets are now ready to use.

This goes to Vardhini's Dish it out - Soy and Tomatoes.