Malai Soya Chaap Recipe – Step by Step

Malai Soya Chaap is a creamy and mild soya chaap recipe. This has little amount of rich gravy and acts as a great starter. I barely remember knowing much about soya chaap when I was growing up. Best I remember was, soya chunks, nutrela beans. Soya chaap is in a way derivative from nutrela beans.

What is Soya Chaap

Soya chaap is a commonly known term in Indian subcontinent. It is less known outside. Soy beans, soya chunks and all purpose flour is processed together to give soya chaap. It is a spongy dough wrapped around ice-cream sticks. It is processed and made suitable for long life and freezing.

Soya chaap in its raw form is fully vegan. Since it contains good amount of soy beans, it is relatively high in protein and low in fat. Taste of Soya chaap is like mock meat.

What is Malai Soya Chaap

Malai = Cream, in hindi. Soya chaap made with cream and yogurt, mild in spices, is malai soya chaap. Malai soya chaap can be dry or can have little gravy. If you keep it little dry, it acts as great starter. Add more cream and make gravy, it will be a great curry. Personally I prefer eating malai soya chaap in dry or semi-dry state, as my appetiser.

How does Soya Chaap Taste

I am a vegetarian and have never had any meat in my life. My partner on other hand is chicken and meat lover. According to him (and many other non-vegetarians), Soya chaap tastes close to chicken, though its fully veg. I suppose the spongy nature of soya gives it the taste of chicken. If you a non-vegetarian, what is your view on soya chaap?

Since this tastes a lot like chicken, my partner is always happy to have it. I remember when I asked him to taste this, he was not sure if he will like it, however he is now a fan of soya chaap. I am now on a spree of innovating more recipes from soya chaap and hoping to share more of soya chaap recipes.

Method of making Malai Soya Chaap

• First of all, to make cashew paste, soak 8-10 cashews in warm water for 30 minutes. After that grind them into a fine paste with little water and keep aside.
• Take off all the soya chaap from sticks and cut them into 2 inch pieces.
• In a mixing bowl, add cream, yogurt, cashew paste, ginger garlic paste, salt and pepper. Mix well and add lemon juice.
• Add the soya chaap pieces and mix. Now add 1 tablespoon of oil and mix it well. Mix well so that the soya chaap pieces are well coated with marinade. Cover the bowl with cling film and let it marinate for 2 hours.
• Heat a pan over medium heat and add rest 2 tablespoon of oil to it. Take out the soya chaap pieces on a plate and keep the rest marinade with you.
• Once oil is hot, shallow fry the soya pieces few at a time, till they are little golden. Take them out on a plate.
• To the same pan, add thinly sliced onion and sauté till they are translucent. Add rest of the marinade and sauté for a minute. Now add fried soya pieces and mix. Ensure that soya pieces are well coated. Now switch off the heat.
• Transfer them to a serving plate and sprinkle chat masala on it.

Pro Tips

• I have used greek yogurt in my recipe because of its thickness, however you can use normal yogurt, just hang it for 30 minutes to drain excess water and use it.
• You can marinate for less time, however this malai chaap taste best after marinating for more time.
• Rather than shallow frying, you can roast them in a pre-heated oven for 20 minutes at 180 degree temperature. Then add them into the sautéed marinade.
• Serve this malai soya chaap hot for the best taste.
• Recipe includes marination, hence plan ahead and marinade it for good 2 hrs or more.

This Malai Soya Chaap

• Is great starter for any event.
• Loved by non-veg lovers too, thanks to its taste.
• Is fully vegetarian friendly.
• Has mild flavours and not spicy. This makes it suitable for kids too.

Serving Suggestion

Serve this malai soya chaap piping hot along with dips and sauces, such as this green chutney.

Nutritional Value of Soya Chaap

Soya is high in protein, but soya chaap contains all purpose flour, which means its not all protein, but has carbs too. Protein content varies, depending on the contents of soya vs flour. Soya chaap is not gluten-free due to flour content.

If you wish to try other soya chaap recipe for main course, you can try this buttery “makhni soya chaap“.

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