Soybean Granules Kheer - Guest Post for Kavi's Edible Entertainment

I wonder how many teens and youngsters these days have the passion and love to cook and I absolutely admire this sweet girl for her eagerness for the same that end up creating such a wonderful blog Edible Entertainment. Her perseverance to succeed in her Studies and Career along with equal passion for her hobby is really appreciable. Yes friends, you guessed her right. She is none other than Kavitha, rather known as Kavi - One of our best blogger buddy and one of the youngest Chef in bloggers world.

Couple of weeks back when she wrote about preparing for her C.A exams, taking a break from cooking and blogging, many among us like me wished best wishes for her exams. To my surprise she was not just doing her scheduled draft posts but also was back with a bang of another Event 'Kids Delight' and then the Series Event 'Cooking with Kin'. Now friends, this is the kind of passion and love towards blogging which I was talking about. When she asked me to do a guest post for her series event I was really happy since this is my very first guest post. So let me present this energy booster and sweet kheer for this sweet girl to boost her up for her studies and I wish her All The Very Best for the exams and wishing her best of all in everything she do.



Now coming to this recipe, I'm sure who ever visit this space often is aware of my love for Soybean. I've posted a lot of Soybean recipes and I have more recipes of the same in draft. I found this Kheer recipe in the Recipe Booklet that comes along with Nutrela Soybean box. I saved the booklet in my kitchen cabinet for future reference of this Kheer and more soybean recipes. But my son who loves doing his craft on shapes and more did his experiment on my Recipe Booklet and I found it in fine stripes one day :( I wonder how did he reach out to those scissors that was kept far off his reach, yes I'm sure he is growing up fast. My heart sank for a while but then I started making this Kheer since I just knew even Soybean Kheer can be made. This is the quickest Kheer you can ever make and it really tastes great. This is a great healthy option for even diabetic, cholesterol patients (Use Splenda or any sugar substitute instead of sugar for diabetic diet) with high protein, no ghee, rice or any carbohydrate/fatty ingredients. Try this out friends, I'm sure you guys will love it.

Ingredients:-

1. Soybean Granules - 3/4 cup
2. Sugar - 1 cup(more or less according to your taste)
3. Milk - 2 cups
4. Evaporated Milk - 1 tin(I used Nestle Carnation Milk)
5. Slivered Almonds - 2 tbsp(optional, can use any nuts of your choice)
6. Water ~ 2 cups(enough to soak soy granules)
7. Cardamom powder - 1 tsp

Preparation Method:-

• Boil enough water, soak the granules in boiled water for two-three minutes and drain them in a Colander/Muslin Cloth.
• Wash them in more water two-three times so that granules leave its smell. Squeeze out all the water from granules and set aside.
• Pour milk in a vessel and bring them to boil. Add Soybean granules to the milk, stir well and let it cook for few minutes(around two-three minutes) in medium heat. 

• Add sugar and stir well and cook it for another few minutes(Say five-seven minutes) till granules absorbs the sweetness and the milk start to thicken a bit.
• Pour the evaporated milk, stir well and cook again in low-medium heat for five minutes. Add the cardamom powder, stir and cook again for few(two-three mins) more minutes.

                  

• Take off the stove and move to individual serving bowls. Garnish with silvered almonds and serve warm or chilled(I prefer them chilled). Enjoy!!!!!!

Notes:-

1. You can use condensed milk instead of carnation milk, but just make sure to reduce the sugar accordingly.
2. If you do not have condensed milk or carnation milk in your pantry no worries. Add two more cups of milk and simmer the stove to low-med and cook for another ten minutes or till the milk thicken and start to get the creamy color.
3. As I mentioned before this is a great healthy dessert/kheer option for elderly people if you can use any sugar substitute(like splenda) since the kheer do not have any fat, carbohydrate, cholesterol content.
4. This tastes great when chilled(I prefer it chilled, can serve warm as well).
5. You can sauté the drained granules in 1 tsp of ghee to get a better flavour(purely optional)

Soybean Masala Rice

Soybean Masala Rice is a very ezee rice recipe which my kids and husband really love. Normally I make it by preparing Soybean masala and adding cooked rice to it but this version is made quicker by the pressure cooker method. Last week I was sick and down with fever and was not in quite good mood to cook different sabzi's and curries and more, so I was making all these quick one pot meals. Soybean chunks is one thing my kids love now and I believe if made well the taste resembles a lot like meat(mutton/lamb) and cooking takes no time - just drop them in the boiling water for few minutes and its soft and good to go. Many of my friends do not like the soybean chunks taste and when we discuss about the same I always tell them to wash it very well couple of times by rubbing well with hands once they are boiled and squeeze out all the water out of it and prepare it. Soybean chunks are just awesome and really healthy and protein rich substitute for meat for both kids and adults. So try this out and Enjoy!!!!!

Ingredients:-

1. Basmathi Rice - 1 cup
2. Water - 2 cups
3. Soybean Mini Chunks - 1 cup
4. Water - 3 cups or more to boil the soya chunks
5. Onion - 2(finely chopped)
6. Tomato -1(finely chopped)
7. Green chilly - 3(chopped)
8. Ginger, garlic crushed - 1 tbsp
9. Turmeric powder - 3/4 tsp
10. Coriander powder - 1 tsp
11. Garam Masala - 2 tsp
12. Curry leaves a sprig
13. Coriander leaves chopped - 3 tbsp
14. Cinnamon stick - a small piece
15. Cardamom pods - 3
16. Cloves - 3
17. Salt to taste
18. Oil - 2tbsp

Preparation Method:-

• Wash and drain the rice and set aside
• Drop soy chunks in boiling water, give it a stir and let it boil again for a minute. Take off the stove and drain into a colander. Keep the colander under running water, rub with your hands and wash the soy chunks very well two three times. Squeeze out all the extra water and set aside.
• Heat up the pressure cooker, pour oil, add cinnamon stick, cardamom, cloves, few curry leaves and saute for a minute. Add the crushed ginger-garlic and saute for a minute or two, add onion, green chilies, salt and saute till onion turns light brown.
• Add the chopped tomato, few coriander leaves and saute till tomato turns soft. Add turmeric powder, coriander powder and m masala and saute till everything blend well.
• Add the soya chunks and saute well to mix. Pour two cups of water and let it boil. When the gravy start to boil keep them in medium heat, cover(without gasket on) and let it cook till raw smell goes off for around five-seven minutes.
• Add the rice and stir till the bottom of the pan and check for the salt, add salt if desired. Close the pressure cooker and wait for just one whistle(My cooker takes only one whistle to cook normal basmathi rice, wait for as many whistles as yo do for your cooker basmathi rice cooking)
• Wait till the pressure fully goes off, open the lid and leave it for few minute say ten minutes till the steaming hot comes down.
• Gently stir rice with a spatula and move to a serving plate. Garnish with few more coriander leaves. Serve warm with Raita, papad, pickle or anything of your choice. Enjoy!!!!!

Note:-
1. As I mentioned earlier if you are not using the pressure cooker method, do not add too much of water. Just add enough water needed for the gravy and add the cooked rice to it.
2. I have used soybean mini chunks, if you are using soybean chunks which are bigger in size, chop them into half after boiling(optional)
3. I have not used chilly powder while making soybean masala since I use homemade Garam Masala which already contains red dry chilly and is hot enough. If your garam masala is not too spicy you can add a tsp of chilly powder as well :)

Sending this to Let's Cook #11 ~ Rice hosted by Radhika at Tickling Palates and Zesty Palette Series #3 - New "U" hosted by Vardhini @ Zesty Palette

  

Soybean Chunks Biriyani/Shahi Soybean Chunks Biriyani

Soya Bean chunks are a great substitute for Non-Veg, taste great, very healthy and rich with high protein. I make them atleast once in a week and my kids love them . My son believe it is chicken/mutton and I try out a lot of different recipes with them. I make this mostly as a one course meal for my hubby's lunch box. I made Soybean biriyani for my kids birthday party for the veg-rice, everyone loved it and most of my friends liked it more than chicken biriyani. This tastes really different and good from all other biriyanis. So try this out friends. Enjoy!!!!

Ingredients:-

Basmathi Rice -2 cups
Green Cardamom - 3
Cloves - 5
Cinnamon Stick - 2
Whole black peppercorns few(around 10)
Fennel seeds - 1tsp
Ghee - 2 tsp
Cashews, raisins few(handful)
Onion finely sliced - 1(deep fry it and set aside for garnishing)
Water - 3 1/2 cups
Salt to taste

Soybean Mini Chunks/Nutrela Mini Chunks - 1 1/2 cups
Onion Finely sliced - 3
Tomato finely sliced - 2
Ginger-Garlic Crushed - 2 tbsp
Green chilly- 3(slit into halves)
Turmeric powder - 3/4 tsp
Chilly powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala - 2tsp
Curry leaves a sprig
Coriander leaves finely chopped - 1/2 cup
Oil - 2tbsp
Coconut Milk - 1/2 cup(optional, I do not use it for regular cooking but use it for parties and all)
Salt to taste
Water 4 cups or more to boil the soya chunks
Water - 2 cups or more to make soy masala

Preparation Method:-

• Wash  the rice and drain off the water completely and set aside.
• Heat a thick bottom wide pan in medium heat, add ghee shallow fry the raisins and cashews and keep them aside.
• Add the fennel seeds to the ghee and stir for few secs. Add cardamom, cloves, cinnamon stick,  peppercorns and stir for a minute or two without getting them to dark color.
• Pour water and add salt and let it boil.
• Add the rice and stir till the bottom of the pan with a spatula(This helps the rice not to stick to the bottom)
• Close with a tight lid and let it cook in medium heat
• Check in 10- 15 minutes and switch off the flame when the water is fully absorbed.
• Let it sit for 10 mins(if you stir the rice when they are very hot rice will beak) and then gently stir it or move to one or two platters so that rice grains do not stick to each other. 
• Pour four cups of water in a vessel and get it boil. Add the Soybean chunks to it and add salt. Stir it and switch off the stove when bubbles start to form from the sides of the pan. Let it soak in hot water for five minutes.
• Drain the water in a colander and pour some cold running water over it and wash the soybean chunks well with your hands to reduce the smell of soy.
• Squeeze out all the water from the soy chunks and set this aside.
• Heat a thick bottom pan or cooker, pour the oil, add the crushed ginger-garlic, curry leaves and stir for  a minute. Add onion, salt and saute well till they become light brown color.
• Add tomatoes, 1/4 cups chopped coriander leaves and saute well till they are soft. Add turmeric powder, chilly powder, coriander powder and garam masala. Saute well till everything masala is incorporated with onion-tomato mix. 
• Add the cooked soybean chunks and mix well. Add in 2 cups of water and mix well. When the gravy starts to boil, cover and let it cook for another 10 mins in medium heat. 
• Pour the coconut milk and cook for another two-three minutes.
• Switch off the flame and add little bit more coriander leaves
• Pre-heat the oven to 350 Degree Fahrenheit. 
• Take a baking tray and start layering the biriyani. Layering rice i the bottom followed by some soybean masala, fried raisins cashews. Top this with rice and masala, cashews, raisins. Repeat the process with rest of the rice, masala, fried cashews, raisins. 
• Cover the tray with silver foil and bake this for 30 minutes.
• Take off the tray and garnish with fried onions, coriander leaves and serve hot with raita, pickle and anything of your choice.

Note:-
1) You can use normal soybean chunks if you do not find mini chunks. Just cut it into halves after they are boiled if you feel they are really big.
2) Fried onions are optional, gives great taste and perfect finishing
3) If you do not have an oven you can do the dum effect(layering the rice and masala) on stove top as well, Grease a vessel with cooking spray/butter/ghee do the layering, keep the heat in the lowest and let cook for approx. 20-30 minutes.

Kheema with Soya Granules and veggies

Soybean chunks and soy granules were not in my favorite list till I discovered some of the masala versions of it. I remember the taste of  Soy chunks in veg-biriyani which we used to have in our childhood, it resembled a lot like mutton/goat. I tried making soybean biriyani once but it didn't turn out that great as I expected and I was a bit disappointed.

On a Friday evening we had a guest and I made soy granules cutlet to be served with tea since it was ezee to prepare just the way it was mentioned in the Nutrela pack. We were enjoying the hot masala tea with cutlet on that cold winter eve and I was talking to this friend of mine. As usual we had many topics to discuss and finally I told her about my soy biriyani experience. She was from Mumbai and she told me the kind of soy recipes her mom use to make especially with the soy granules, veggies and garam masala powder where no body could really figure out it was soy granules. That idea of soya cooking striked my mind and I thought of giving it a try. I named it Soya Kheema because it looks like mutton/chicken kheema when prepared. We really started admiring the taste of Soybean from then. Thanks a lot to my dear friend Shifali for suggesting me an awesome soya cooking. So here comes my recipe of Soya Granules- Veggies Kheema.

Ingredients:-

Soya Granules soaked in boiled water and rinsed well - 2 cups
Chopped Onion- 1 big
ginger,garlic minced or crushed -1 tsp each
green chilly chopped - 4
green pees- 1/2 cup
chopped carrot- 1 big
Broccoli florets chopped - 1/2 cup
Cumin/Jeera- 1tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tp
Chilly powder- 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder -1 tsp
Garam masala powder- 2 tsp
Oil- 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Curry leaves a sprig or more
Chopped coriander leaves - 4 tbsp

Preparation Method:-

Heat up a kadai/frying pan, pour oil, add Cumin/Jeera and stir for a minute till they crackle.
Add minced ginger-garlic and saute for a minute, add green chilly, few curry leaves, onion, salt and saute well till onion turns translucent.
Add all the masala and stir for a while in medium heat. Add in veggies, 2 tbsp coriander leaves and saute till veggies get mixed well with masalas.
Close the pan with a lid and let cook for five minutes in low-med heat till veggies is almost cooked.
Add soya granules at the end(soya will be already cooked when you put it in boiled water) and stir it well to mix with masalas and veggies.
Cook it covered for another five minutes so that masala is evenly spread over soy granules and veggies.  Switch off the stove. Garnish with rest of the chopped coriander leaves and serve it hot with Roti/Naan/Rice..

Nutritional Info:- Soya beans is a good nutritional food for kids and adults. It contains more proteins than milk, egg, wheat and meat. It is low fat, low cholesterol and high protein food. It is a good alternative for mutton/chicken and red meat.