April 24, 2014

Veggie Kheema Rice!!!

My son loved Kheema. Mutton kheema. He would ask me, "Amma can I have a second serving? Amma, can you save it for dinner?" He would eat it three times a day if fed. Unexpectedly as half of our family has turned vegetarian recently, I need to be creative in cooking food that is sufficient in Protein and other nutrients. One of the first protein foods that grabbed my attention is Soy. I always loved soy chunks as a kid. I would think it was like chicken. Had a slight partition with it after marriage as S never liked it. Luckily, my sonny loves it and soy chunks found their way into my kitchen slowly.

Except cooking a curry with soy chunks, I didn't know many recipes. One day, I spotted Soy Granules in the Indian store. The cook in me wondered, what can I cook with them? Whatever it could be, I thought I will think about it later and stashed a couple of packs in my cart.

One lazy noon, I decided to experiment with them. So, all you need for your experiment are:

Basmathi rice or Sona Masoori - 2 cups cooked
Butter- a table spoon, Oil - a table spoon
Cardamom, Cinnamon, Bay leaf-5 gm each
Cashews - 1 tbsp
Onions-1 big, chopped into thin long slices
3-5 Green Chilies
Ginger Garlic paste-1 tbsp each
Soy granules - Half of the Nutrela Pack (Boiled, drained and squeeze the water out of it)
Salt-to taste
Garam Masala - 1tpsn
Soy Sauce


  • Heat the pan. Add butter. After the butter melts, add oil. Yes. I use half butter, half oil. Just to reduce few calories. 
  • Add Cardamom, Cinnamon, bay leaf. After they splutter, add cashews. Roast them till light golden brown.
  • Add onions and slit green chilies. Roast them till onions become translucent.
  • Add ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell leaves.
  • Squeeze water completely out of the boiled granules. Add it to the onions. 
  • Add salt. After few minutes add garam masala or just coriander powder if you want it mild. I add any powder that comes handy. Be it jeera or dhania doesn't matter. :)
  • Fry it for few more minutes till you feel it is cooked. 
  • Add cooked rice. Make sure there are no lumps. Mix the rice well.
  • Sprinkle soy sauce if you want some Chinese flavor to it.
  • At the end, sprinkle chopped coriander.
You could beat egg in a separate pan and add it to the soy granules. I normally don't add vegetables as I don't want it to taste like a veggie fried rice.


Pardon the poor quality of my pictures. This is not a cook blog. I randomly post my creations :) But, they are tested and tried. 


* Garam Masala - It is a fine powder made with roasted cloves, cinnamon and coriander seeds.
* Mutton - Goat meat
* Kheema - Ground meat

30 comments:

  1. Looks very yummy indeed! I too use soy granules and tofu to incorporate protein in our daily diet!

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    Replies
    1. How do you cook Tofu? Mine never comes good..I decided to stop buying it..

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  2. Am a veggie...so, I like their vegetarian counterparts.

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  3. Looks very yummy. We are vegetarians and always on the look out for some interesting dishes. Will definitely prepare it.

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    Replies
    1. Exactly...now, I have to really word hard to give protein food to kids. Let me know how it comes out.

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  4. Thats an easy recipe and soy chunks do substitute NV
    Have seen many making this :)
    looks yum

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    Replies
    1. It is easy, Ashan. You meat eaters have plenty of choice :)

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  5. Your photos look great and the recipe sounds yum. I can't buy soy granules here yet but if I ever do spot them I am sure to do some experimenting of my own now.
    Ida
    Reflex Reactions

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    1. Ida, if you can get soy chunks, that should suffice. Boil them, squeeze the water out and grind or pulse them in the food processor. Just a few seconds blend..

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  6. Am vegetarian and not a big fan of soy chunks. Can try this out with veggies though :)

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    Replies
    1. Actually the granules are finer version of the chunks....you don't feel it chunky unless you don't like the smell and taste of them at all :)

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  7. to aaj raat ka dinner tyaar :) yummmyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy I want this one toooooooooooooo

    Bikram

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    Replies
    1. you want to settle for just this? I was planning on making mutton biryani for you :)

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  8. F in F,

    I am applying for visa attaching copy of this post with my application stating that this is what tempts me to make this trip. Hope you will not disappoint me.

    Take care

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    Replies
    1. Hahah....you want to travel across the seas just for this?I could feed you better dishes, Uncle Jack.

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  9. This looks so yummy and doable!

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  10. Hello from one Soy fan to another. Loved this recipe.. Will try it out for sure.

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  11. This looks delicious! Thanks for the recipe looks like even I can make it!

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    Replies
    1. Sure Cristina...it's very easy..you can buy the ingredients from any Indian store that is near by if you find difficulty in making them your self.

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  12. I dont like Soy granules but husband and child are big fans. This recipe is simple and cool and has 'inspired' me to make veg biryani tonight! :)

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  13. looks really yummy! Thanks for sharing

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  14. Yum. I don't eat mutton but I am sure we can do it with chicken too.

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  15. Thanks for the recipe. i will try it one of these days.

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  16. Wow..experiment బావుందండోయ్ :) నేను కూడా ట్రై చేస్తాను..:)

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