What is soya chaap made of?
While the whole world is becoming health conscious, there is a group of people called ‘vegans’ who do not want to consume animal-based food, like milk, butter, meat, chicken, ice cream, etc. This has opened up a large market for plant-based proteins. Certainly, plant-based or vegan protein is emerging to be the next best alternative to meat even for vegetarians.
About Vegetarian Soya Chaap
Soya chaap is a vegetarian dish that looks similar to a Chicken Chaap or Seekh Kebab in the form of chops or sticks. These dishes are not only similar in looks but also in texture and taste. The only difference is that the main ingredient in this chaap dish is soya beans and soya chunks.
India and Soyabean Chaap Masala
Well, if you had thought that India is known only for spices, then you’re wrong. Indians are adept at innovating new dishes, especially vegetarian dishes with unique and extraordinary flavors. And this soybean chaap is one among them! Notably, the term ‘chaap’ was coined from a Hindi word meaning ‘slice,’ which refers to the oval shape of the soybean.
In this blog post, first, let’s understand “What is Soya Chaap made of?” and get to know “What is the recipe for soya chaap?”. Then, let’s understand the importance of this dish in terms of nutrition.
What are the ingredients used for Soya Chaap?
As said earlier, it is primarily made of soya chunks and soybeans. The other ingredients used in this dish are dried soybeans, water, binding or soybean flour, salt, and a mix of spices such as garam masala, red chili powder, turmeric/haldi powder, coriander powder, cumin/jeera powder, or chaap masala. However, not all chaap dishes use the same set of ingredients. Depending on the soy chaap variant—tandoori or sticks—you need to swap the masala powder. For example, to prepare homemade gluten-rich soy chaap, you can use readily available soya chaap masala and soy flour.
Alternatively, if you’re preparing soy chaap tandoori, you need some amount of all-purpose flour and tandoori masala powder. The reason for swapping the masala powders is to give the right flavor and aroma to the chaap dish you’re trying. Moreover, each ingredient has its characteristics that can alter the color, texture, juiciness, taste, and smell of these dishes.
Here is the quick masala soya chaap recipe:
Step 1: Soak the soybeans overnight or at least 3 hours. After soaking, drain the water, and grind it into a fine paste.
Step 2: Boil the soya chunks for 10 minutes, drain the water, cool it down, and grind it into a coarse paste.
Step 3: Mix the two pastes and add a binding flour. It could be wheat, maida, or soybean flour.
(Some Chefs add soya chaap masala 100g to add rich flavors.)
Step 4: Add salt, mix, and knead well to make it into a stiff dough.
Step 5: Cut the dough into small balls and roll or lace it around wooden sticks to make chaaps.
Step 6: Cook the chaaps in boiling water and cool them down.
Step 7: Prepare the marination (masala or tandoori style) and fry the chaaps. It could be tawa fry or deep oil fry.
Is soya chaap good for health?
Soya Chaap contains more than 50% protein as it is made from protein-packed soybeans and soya chunks. Thus, food experts call it the protein powerhouse of vegans and vegetarians. Using wheat or soybean flour instead of maida increases its nutritional value and makes it much healthier. Also, this dish contains essential amino acids and a negligible amount of saturated fats.
How to buy the best and most authentic chaap masala powder?
Chaap masala plays a vital role in adding the right flavor and aroma to the chaaps and bringing it closer to the taste and texture of meat chaaps. So, buying authentic and meticulously formulated masala or spice powder is important. Check out the ingredients of India’s No. 1 Soya Chaap Masala Powder —formulated by the celebrated Chef Nita Mehta!
