Malai Chaap is a famous North Indian vegetarian dish made using soya chaap, a protein-rich soy flour meat substitute. It’s a creamy, delicious dish usually eaten with naan or roti. It is a relatively new cuisine that originated in the 1960s in the northern Indian state of Punjab. It was developed as a vegetarian substitute for the famous tandoori chicken. Malai Chaap soon became popular in Punjab and then expanded throughout India.
Soya chaap, cream, curd, ginger, garlic, turmeric powder, garam masala, and red chili powder are the main components of Malai Chaap. The chaap is marinated in a spice mixture before being cooked in a creamy sauce. Malai Chaap is an excellent choice for vegetarians searching for a filling meal. It has a lot of protein and fiber. It also has a minimal calorie and fat content. Malai Chaap has about 150 calories, 10 grams of protein, and 5 grams of fiber per serving.
How to make Malai Chaap at Home?
We’ve all enjoyed Tandoor-cooked Malai Chaap from the street food stalls. But guess what? Making this mouth-watering dish at home is pretty easy, too! You can whip up delicious Malai Chaap in your kitchen with a simple and efficient recipe.
Ingredients:
- 250g soya chaap
- 1 cup thick yogurt
- 1/2 cup fresh cream
- Two large onions, finely chopped
- Two tomatoes, pureed
- Two tablespoons of ginger-garlic paste
- One teaspoon turmeric powder
- One teaspoon red chili powder
- One teaspoon of garam masala
- One teaspoon coriander powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
- Salt to taste
- Fresh coriander leaves for garnish
- Three tablespoons oil or ghee
Recipe
- Boil the soya chaap in water for 5-7 minutes to make it tender.
- Cut the chaap into bite-sized pieces.
- Mix yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chili powder, and salt in a bowl.
- Coat the soya chaap pieces with this marinade and let them sit for at least 30 minutes.
- Heat oil or ghee in a pan and shallow fry the marinated soya chaap until golden brown.
- Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Add more oil if needed in the same pan, and sauté chopped onions until golden brown.
- Add tomato puree and cook until the oil separates from the masala.
- Add the fried soya chaap to the masala and mix well.
- Pour in the fresh cream and mix until the chaap is coated evenly.
- Add garam masala, coriander powder, cumin powder, kasuri methi, and salt to taste.
- Let the Malai Chaap simmer on low heat for 10-15 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
- Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
- Serve hot with naan, rumali roti, or steamed rice.
With this simple recipe, you can simply enjoy the exquisite taste of Malai Chaap at home. Malai Chaap is a dish that will satisfy your taste buds whether you’re a vegetarian looking for a nice supper or someone who wants to try something new. It’s famous for every occasion, from informal weeknight dinners to celebratory get-togethers. It is a versatile dish that people of all ages can enjoy. So grab all your ingredients and prepare to make this fantastic North Indian cuisine in your kitchen.
