I am not a fan of soya nuggets (or granules). I rarely buy or cook them because I don’t care for their sponge-like texture. Or maybe it has something to do with the fact that my grandma would deceivingly add them to her mutton curry to stretch it to feed a houseful of holidaying grandchildren. We couldn’t help but feel cheated every time one of us unsuspectingly bit into a chunk thinking it was meat (it still remains a running joke in the family and perhaps why some of us have trust issues 😆).

But unlike that curry, these Cocktail Soya Malai Kebabs are good. So good, I dare say you won’t miss the meat. They are easy to make and perfect to serve alongside cocktails at intimate festive gatherings.

Recipe

Cocktail Soya Malai Kebabs

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

1 cup soya nuggets or chunks
3 cups hot water
1 large green bell pepper, cut into 1” cubes
2 medium red onions, cut into 1” cubes

For the marinade -
1/4 cup Greek Yogurt or hung curd
1/4 cup cream
2 tbsp cashews, soaked in water for an hour and drained
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1 green chilli
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
2 tsp fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
1/2 tsp chaat masala
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp erythritol or sugar
1 tbsp melted butter or ghee
Salt to taste
Oil for frying
Small bamboo skewers, soaked in water and wiped dry
Green chutney, onion rings and lime wedges to serve

Method

Soak the soya nuggets in 3 cups of hot salted water for 5 minutes, then drain. Gently squeeze out the extra water from the soya chunks and set them aside.

Combine the hung curd, cream, cashews, ginger-garlic paste, green chilli, fresh coriander, lime juice, pepper, chaat masala, garam masala, sugar, melted butter and salt in a blender. Purée until completely smooth, then transfer the marinade to a bowl.

Add the drained soya chunks, cut capsicum and onion into the marinade and mix well. Set aside for 15 minutes.

To Assemble the Kebabs - Skewer the marinated soya chunks and vegetables onto the bamboo skewers, alternating them in any order. Place the skewers on a plate.

Heat a nonstick griddle pan or tawa over a medium flame. Brush the pan generously with oil and place a few skewers an inch apart on the pan. Do not crowd the pan.

Fry the kababs, turning each skewer over carefully until the chunks and vegetables are evenly browned and slightly charred on all sides.

Remove the skewers from the pan and repeat the same process for the remaining skewers.

Sprinkle a little chaat masala on the kebabs and serve hot with some green chutney, onion rings and lime wedges.