Nutrela high protein soya chunks/ Soya wadi subzi with julienned Chayote and Green peas...Quick Veggie-Protein packed Indian Stir fry for every day cooking.

Nutrela soya chunks is over two decade old  popular nutritional product of India. It has been quite a long time since I have cooked any  dish with Nutrela soy chunks. Today I made this quick subji by using soya chunks with julienned Chayote and green peas. This subji is good to pack in lunch boxes or can be enjoyed with daily meals.

Ingredients :

• 1 heaped cup - Nutrela Soya chunks
• 1 Extra large chayote/chow chow/Bangalore brinjal - julienned (2 cups lightly packed)
• 3/4 Cup - frozen green peas
• 1 small size onion - sliced lengthwise (1 cup yield)
• 1/2 Tsp - red chilli powder
• 1/2 Tsp - Turmeric powder
• 1 Tsp - Garam masala or your favorite spice blend powder.
• 1/2 Cup - fresh chopped cilantro
• 1 Tbsp - oil

Directions to prepare Soya chunks/ soya vadi subji :

1. Place soya balls in a medium size bowl filled with water, around 2 cups - microwave for 4 minutes over 20% reduced temperature that is set heat level to 80. Let it  cool for 2-3 minutes. Take out all balls from bowl with slotted spoon, place in a colander, run under cold water for few seconds, until they turn cool enough to touch. Quickly squeeze out water. Gently Squeezing 2-3 times is enough, you need to retain some water in chunks. Keep aside
2. In a medium saute pan heat 1 tbsp oil, add sliced onions, saute over medium heat, stirring often for about 6-7 minutes. Now add 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp garam masala, fry for one minute.
3. Next add julienned chayote, mix all well. Pour in half a cup of water, little salt. Cover the lid and cook for 4-5 minutes over medium heat.
4. Open the lid, mix in squeezed soya chunks. Sprinkle remaining half tsp garam masala, 1/2 tsp red chilli powder, little chopped cilantro. Mix well, continue cooking over medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Add 2-3 tbsp water if pot dries out at the bottom.
5. Add 3/4 cup frozen green peas, reduce heat to medium low, adjust salt seasoning. Add 2-3 tbsp water, let cook covered for 4-5 minutes.
6. Finally garnish with remaining chopped cilantro. Serve with roti, use as wrap filling or just enjoy in a bowl.

Soya wadi, Bangalore brinjal and matar subzi.

Cauliflower and Orange subzi with California Zante currants. {Indian vegetable stir fry with fresh fruit addition.}

Today afternoon I made this simple Phool Gobi subzi. I wanted to finish off  2 cups cauliflower florets laying in my fridge and  one California orange that was sitting in  a fruit basket. I paired cauliflower and orange, tossed in few California Zante currants and made this sweet, sour and slight bitter tasting subzi. Addition of oranges  created thick  gravy that nicely coated cauliflower florets. I ate it with Flax-Ragi-Teff  enriched white whole wheat flour rotis.

Cauliflower, Orange stir fry with Zante currants.

Ingredients :

• 2 cups - cauliflower florets 1-inch size
• 1 large orange - cut each segment into 3-4 pieces
• 1 medium size onion - sliced length wise (1 cup heaped yield)
• 1-2 green chilies - finely chopped
• 2 Tb.spoon - heaped blackcurrants (I used  Sun-Maid brand California Zante Currents)
• 1/4 T.spoon - Turmeric
• 1 T.spoon  - honey or brown sugar
• 1 Tb.spoon  - oil
• 1/2 Cup - chopped cilantro for garnish.

Method of preparing Phool Gobi, Orange subzi :

1. Finely slice onion lengthwise. Peel orange, remove white pith as much as you can, separate each orange segment and cut each into 3-4 pieces. Finely chop chiles. Keep all aside.
2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a medium size saute pan. Add chopped onions, saute over medium heat for 6-7 minutes, stirring often. Once onions are tender and translucent add chopped chilies, turmeric and half quantity of blackcurrants i.e 1 tbsp. Increase heat to high, stir and saute for one minute, in the process let few onions and blackcurrants get caramelized.
3. Now add 2 cups cauliflower florets, salt - mix all well, add half cup of water. Cook  covered for 4-5 minutes over medium heat.
4. Add sliced oranges, mix well. Add 1/4 cup water, continue cooking for another 4-5 minutes without lid. 
5. Finally add remaining 1 tbsp blackcurrants, 1 tsp honey or brown sugar. Mix well,  adjust salt level. Cook until water evaporates, cauliflower florets get tender, oranges get softened and create dry gravy coating around cauliflower florets. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro. (I was out of stock so no garnish is seen in the image.)

How I made rotis shown in the image :

These rotis are made with American white whole wheat flour. I have added 1 tbsp flax seed meal, 2 tbsp ragi flour, 2 tbsp teff flour per one cup of wheat flour. Generally I use just whole wheat flour not the white one. This is first time I used Kroger brand white whole wheat flour. It has good easy rolling texture, fresh wheat aroma, rotis were soft and puffed well.

Tips for more enhancement to the subzi : Add grated ginger, little dash of garam masala powder and Kasuri Methi. Add 3/4 cup more sliced oranges after you are half way through 4th step of cooking, these oranges will hold its shape and that will bring more appeal. In my subzi orange pieces  are not visible, they got cooked and created dry gravy. Blackcurrants can be replaced with sweetened cranberries and raisins. Adding 1/4 cup whipping cream, green peas, carrot dices will turn this subzi into rich Cauliflower Korma . Lastly oranges can be replaced with many other fruits of your choice.

Cauliflower and Orange Stir fry