Soya Chunks Kurma | Meal Maker Kurma

Updated: August 26, 2022, By Swasthi

Soya Chunks Kurma also known as Meal Maker Kurma is a delicious South Indian dish of curried soya nuggets in a spicy and flavorsome kurma gravy. Kurma is the South Indian version of the North Indian/ Mughalai Korma and is a popular dish made with mixed vegetables or meat. This soya chunks kurma is one such variation from my Mom’s kitchen, where she would replace veggies and meat with soya chunks. This meal maker kurma goes well with flavored rice varieties like Pulao, Ghee rice, Jeera rice, roti, chapathi or paratha.

soya chunks kurma



This dish can be made ahead and in fact tastes best after resting for a few hours as in the case of meat. So you can very well prepare this 2 days ahead, refrigerate and then reheat to serve.

Soya chunks, known by different names such as Soya Nuggets, Soya Wadi & Meal maker is a vegetable textured protein made with defatted soya flour. As the name says, these are in the form of chunks and granules. The chunks are also known as nuggets and the granules as soya keema.

It is identified as a great mock meat in India and eaten in various forms such as curries, kebabs, burger patties, pakoras etc.

Since Meal maker is a highly processed food, it is ideal to eat this in moderation and wherever possible please use organic soya products only.

About Soya Chunks Kurma

Back to this soya chunks kurma, the base of the kurma is made with onions, tomatoes, coconut and white poppy (optional). In South India, most kurma recipes used poppy seeds for the texture and milk aroma it imparts to the dish.

For this post, I shot the pictures while I was in India in my Mom’s place so I used poppy seeds and fresh coconut. However I am not accessible to poppy seeds in Singapore so I always make this dish with coconut milk or just coconut & sometimes with a few cashews as well. For the replacement, you can also use plain yogurt that’s not sour.

To keep the recipe simple, I have not used any green peas or potatoes. But they add another layer of flavor to the dish so feel free to use half cup green peas or 2 medium potatoes (diced).

For more similar recipes
Soya chunks cutlet
Meal maker stir fry
Soya chunks curry
Meal maker biryani
Soya keema

Photo Guide

How to Make Soya Chunks Kurma (Stepwise Photos)

Preparation

For the ingredient quantities, please scroll down to the recipe card. Gather all your ingredients and follow the steps here.

1. Add soya chunks to hot water and let them soak till they soften. Squeeze up the water and rinse them in water and squeeze off excess water. If desired you can chop each chunk to 2 pieces.

soaking soya chunks in hot water to make soya chunks recipe

2. Add soya, salt, ginger garlic paste, red chili powder, garam masala and lemon juice to a bowl and marinate the soya chunks. Keep this aside till we use.

addition of ginger garlic paste to make soya chunks kurma

3. This step can be skipped if using yogurt or coconut milk alone for the kurma. If using poppy seeds, dry roast or sundry them till crunchy. Add poppy seeds or cashew nuts along with saunf to a blender jar and powder them finely first and then add the coconut and make a fine paste with little water. Set this aside. If you do not have a good blender, don’t use poppy seeds.

dry roasting poppy seeds to make soya chunks recipes

Make Kurma Gravy

4. Heat a pan with oil, add bay leaf, cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon, shahi jeera or jeera and star anise. You can skip using star anise, if you don’t have.

sauteing spice in oil to make soya chunks kurma

5. When the spices sizzle, add onions, chilies and fry till they turn golden.

frying onions to make soya chunks curry

6. Add tomatoes. My tomatoes were not juicy, so I sprinkled little water and salt to soften them. Cook till the tomatoes turn mushy.

addition of tomatoes to make soya chunks kurma

7. Add the marinated chunks along with mint and coriander leaves. Fry till the raw ginger garlic smell vanishes, for about 5 minutes on a low to medium flame. I used a spoon oil to prevent them from burning at this stage.

addition of marinade to pan to make soya chunks curry

8. Add the ground coconut paste. If using yogurt, Pour it to a bowl first. Take a few tablespoons of the onion tomato masala to the yogurt, whisk it well. Pour that to the pot. Add saunf, garam masala and coriander powder to a blender jar and powder it, an easy way to powder little saunf.

adding yogurt coconut to make soya chunks curry

9. Add red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder and fry again for 3 to 5 minutes or till you get a good aroma of the masala.

addition of spice powders to make soya chunks kurma

10. Pour water as needed to get a gravy. Do not add too much water, it will thin down the soya chunks kurma. Check the salt and add if needed. If using only yogurt, you may not need much water. Cover and cook till the chunks are soft and the gravy turns thick enough to suit your taste. You will see traces of oil over the kurma when it is done.

adding water to make gravy for soya chunks curry

Serve soya chunks kurma with biryani, pulao, phulka or chapathi.

soya chunks kurma

Related Recipes

Recipe Card

soya chunks kurma

Soya Chunks Kurma

4.91 from 31 votes
Soya chunks kurma is south Indian dish made by cooking soya chunks in a Kurma gravy. Serve it over ghee rice, jeera rice, pulao or with roti, paratha.
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For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card

Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Servings3
AuthorSwasthi

Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )

  • ½ cup onions finely chopped
  • 1 tomato medium sized , chopped
  • 1 to 2 green chili chopped
  • 1 tbsps coriander leaves chopped
  • 1 tbsp mint leaves / pudina, chopped
  • 1/8 tsp turmeric
  • ½ tsp garam masala
  • ¼ to ½ tsp red chili powder
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • Salt as needed
  • 2 to 3 tbsp Oil

To marinate

  • 1 cup Soya chunks / meal maker
  • 1 tsp ginger garlic paste or grated ginger garlic.
  • ¼ tsp garam masala
  • ¼ tsp red chili powder
  • Salt little
  • 1 tbsp Lemon juice

To grind (or ½ cup thick coconut milk or yogurt, refer notes)

  • 2 tbsp Poppy seeds or cashews (optional)
  • 2 to 3 tbsp Grated coconut
  • ½ tsp saunf / fennel seeds

To temper

  • 1 bay leaf
  • ½ star flower / star anise (optional)
  • ½ tsp shahi jeera or cumin / jeera
  • 1 cinnamon stick / dalchini, small
  • 4 cloves / laung
  • 2 green cardamoms / elaichi


Instructions

  • Heat 3 to 4 cups water, add soya chunks. Switch off the stove. Leave them to soften for about 10 minutes.
  • Squeeze off the water and rinse them in lot of water. Repeat squeezing them. Make sure there is no water left in the chunks. If you desire you can cut the chunks to half or use them as it is.
  • Marinate them with 1 tsp ginger garlic paste, 1/4 tsp garam masala, 1/4 tsp red chili powder, salt and lemon juice. Set this aside until needed.
  • Chop onions, tomatoes, set them aside.
  • If using poppy seeds, dry roast them until crunchy. Powder them first with saunf and then add the coconut with very little water to make a thick paste.
  • Heat a pan with oil, add the dry spices.
  • When they begin to sizzle, add onions and green chilies. Fry till the onions turn golden.
  • Add tomato and fry till the tomato turns mushy. If needed sprinkle water to cook tomatoes.
  • Add marinated soya chunks, coriander and mint leaves. Fry everything well till the raw smell of the ginger garlic goes away.
  • Stir well to prevent burning. If needed use little more oil.
  • Add the ground coconut paste or coconut milk. (If using yogurt, mix a few tablespoons of onion tomato masala to the yogurt, whisk it well and pour it to the pot.)
  • Then add red chili powder, garam masala, coriander powder. Mix and fry well for about 3 to 5 minutes, till you begin to get a nice aroma.
  • Pour water just enough to make a good amount of kurma gravy. Adjust salt as needed.
  • Simmer and cook till you get the desired consistency of gravy, for about 5 minutes. You will see traces of oil over the kurma when the gravy is done.
  • Garnish soya chunks kurma with coriander leaves. Serve with rice or roti.


Notes

  1. The ingredients under “to grind” can be skipped and only yogurt can be used. If using yogurt, powder saunf and use it with the garam masala. To easily powder saunf, add it to a blender along with the garam masala and make a fine powder.
  2. Make sure you don’t use sour yogurt/ curd. It will ruin the dish.

NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)

Nutrition Facts
Soya Chunks Kurma
Amount Per Serving
Calories 276 Calories from Fat 126
% Daily Value*
Fat 14g22%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Sodium 69mg3%
Potassium 241mg7%
Carbohydrates 20g7%
Fiber 9g38%
Sugar 7g8%
Protein 17g34%
Vitamin A 535IU11%
Vitamin C 16.5mg20%
Calcium 223mg22%
Iron 4.9mg27%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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© Swasthi’s Recipes

soya chunks kurma

About Swasthi

I’m Swasthi Shreekanth, the recipe developer, food photographer & food writer behind Swasthi’s Recipes. My aim is to help you cook great Indian food with my time-tested recipes. After 2 decades of experience in practical Indian cooking I started this blog to help people cook better & more often at home. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook I am sure Swasthi’s Recipes will assist you to enhance your cooking skills. More about me

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Recipe Rating




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5 stars
Output was too delicious and quick. Thank you Swasthiji.??

5 stars
Your rice varieties are awesome and a life saver for me during busy mornings . Thank you

5 stars
Very nice receipe..Its very delicious yummy Chunks curry..

5 stars
I tried this out. Its an absolute hit with the family. I love your recipes. Yours is the only site where I can get a palatable dish following your instructions and tips verbatim. I send my son who’s a hosteler your recipes, to try out with his friends.
Thank u and keep posting

The way you present and the detailing of each step is commendable.great applaud for all the efforts u take to make r life better.lots of luv…
Soumya

Rustic — yummy — delicious

2 stars
Rustic — yummy — delicious

5 stars
Fantastic ,, very unique approach towards the kurma ,
Never came out this good and subtle
Master stroke was soya marination which was brilliant ,
Thanks you ma’am

5 stars
Simple but yummy

5 stars
Good and easy recipes who can make easily

5 stars
Hi, Thank you for posting this yummy recipe.. I really loved this one..

5 stars
Tried this one…. yummm… it’s a keeper! You recipes are wonderful n easy… keep up the good work!:)

Hi thank you for posting the recipe we joined the dish a lot but in step one you for forget to mention to mix salt it it showed it in the picture

5 stars
Thanks for sharing very tasty

Loved your receipe 🙂
Now I will check out all your posts and try more 🙂
Keep up the good work 🙂

Nice taste, I had this with phulka.

My gravy became few thin, what can I do to have thick gravy. If using daliya then how much & when to use.