Soybean Chilli

Soya Chunks Chilli in Marathi

Time: 35 minutes
Makes: 2 to 3 servings

Ingredients:
1 cup Soya chunks
2 medium onions
1 medium bell pepper
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 green chili, crushed
3 tsp garlic, crushed
1.5 tsp ginger, finely chopped
1 tsp vinegar, or to taste
2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp kashmiri red chili powder
2 tbsp corn starch
2 tsp red chili paste (Soak dried red chilies in some hot water, then grind to a thick paste)
2 tsp tomato ketchup (I used maggi hot and sweet ketchup)
Salt to taste
Oil to deep fry soya chunks
2 tbsp green part of spring onion, chopped

Method:
1) Boil 3 to 4 cups of water. Once it starts boiling, turn off the heat. Add soya chunks and cover the pot for 5 minutes. Drain all the water. Squeeze and remove all the water from soya chunks.
2) Take a medium bowl. Add soya chunks, 1 tsp soy sauce, 1/2 tsp kashmiri red chili powder, 1 tbsp corn starch, 1 tsp garlic, 1/2 tsp ginger, 1 green chili and salt to taste. Mix well. Keep aside for 15 minutes.
3) Dice bell pepper into medium cubes. Cut onions into halves. Chop 1/2 onion finely. Dice remaining onion into medium cubes. Separate each petals.
4) Heat oil into a kadai. Add soya chunks and fry till crisp.
5) Take a medium pan. Add 1 tbsp oil. Add finely chopped onion, cilantro, garlic, and ginger. Saute for few seconds. Add diced onion and bell pepper. Add soy sauce, salt red chili paste, and tomato ketchup and mix well. Saute for 30 seconds.
6) Mix 1 tbsp corn starch into 3 tbsp water. Add it to the pan. Stir well. If you find it too thick, then add 1 tbsp water. Add fried soya chunks and little vinegar. Mix and cook for a minute.
Garnish with spring onion.
Serve hot.

Tips:
1) Kashmiri red chili powder does not have heat like other chili powder. But it adds nice red color to the dish. It will make bright red color to soy chunks.
2) Marination is important as soya chunks are bland in taste.
3) Adjust the amount of red chili paste to your taste.