Tandoori To Chilli Chaap:5 Snack Recipes To Make With Soya Chaap

Native to East Asia, soybeans are now cultivated worldwide due to their numerous uses and nutritional benefits. Soybeans are so versatile, they can be transformed into various products such as tofu, nato, edamame, miso, soy sauce, soy nuggets, soya keema, and the most loved soya chaap.

From scratch, soya chaap is made with soy chunks, soya beans, all purpose flour, water, and salt. After soaking soybeans overnight and blending them into a paste, it's mixed with a paste of boiled soya chunks, all-purpose flour, and salt to form a dough. This dough is rolled out and cut into long, slightly broad pieces. Wrapped around long ice cream sticks, the pieces are boiled, drained, and cooled in cold water.

1. Tandoori Chaap
Deliciously marinated and skewered soya chaap, when cooked slowly in a smoky tandoor, results in flavourful tandoori chaap. To make these, you need: 

500g Soya chaap
1 cup thick yoghurt
2 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste
2 tablespoons red chilli powder
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
½ tablespoon chaat masala
Salt to taste
}2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Lemon wedges and fresh coriander for garnish

Method:

1) Boil soya chaap for 5-7 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2) Mix yoghurt, ginger-garlic paste, spices, salt, and oil to form a marinade.
3) Make slits in the boiled chaap and coat thoroughly with the marinade. Marinate for 2-3 hours or overnight.
4) Preheat the oven to 200°C or prepare a grill.
5) Thread chaap onto skewers. Grill or bake for 15-20 minutes, turning occasionally, until cooked with a char.
6) Garnish with coriander and serve hot with lemon wedges. Enjoy with mint chutney and onions.

2. Malai Chaap

Engulfed in rich cream, marinated in spicy condiments and garnished with zesty lemon, the delhi famous malai chaap will surely tantalise your tastebuds. To do this, you need

Image Credit: Vecteezy

500g Soya chaap
1 cup thick yoghurt
1 cup cream
1/2 cup cashews and almonds (soaked and ground to a paste)
1  teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
1 teaspoon green chilli paste
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Fresh coriander leaves for garnish

Method: 

1) Boil soya chaap until tender. Drain and set aside.
2) Mix yoghurt, ginger-garlic paste, spices, and oil to make a marinade. Coat chaap and marinate for 2-3 hours or overnight.
3) Thread chaap onto skewers. Grill or bake until charred (15-20 minutes).
4) Heat cream, add cashew-almond paste, garam masala, and salt. Cook until thickened.
5) Dip the grilled chaap into malai sauce. Simmer briefly.
6) Garnish with fresh coriander. Serve hot with naan or roti. Enjoy your creamy Malai Chaap!

3. Crispy Fried Soya Chaap

These crispy fried soya chaap snacks will delight your evenings and soothe your temptations. To do this, you need

500g Soya chaap
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornflour
1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
Salt to taste
Vegetable oil for frying
Fresh coriander leaves for garnish

Method:

1) Boil soya chaap in water for 5-7 minutes until tender. Drain and set aside.
2) In a bowl, mix buttermilk, ginger-garlic paste, red chilli powder, garam masala, turmeric powder, and salt to create a marinade.
3) Dip each chaap in the buttermilk marinade, ensuring it's well-coated. Let it marinate for at least 1-2 hours.
4) In a separate bowl, mix all-purpose flour and corn flour. Add a pinch of salt and any additional spices, if desired.
5) Heat vegetable oil in a deep pan. Dip each marinated chaap in the flour mixture, ensuring it's evenly coated. Deep-fry until golden brown and crispy.
6) Remove the fried chaap and place them on a paper towel to drain excess oil. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
7) Serve the crispy fried soya chaap hot with your favourite dipping sauce or chutney.

4. Chilli Chaap
Authentic chilli chaap that we eat in dhabas are the most delectable treats in the winter evenings. Cooking it at home is equally simple and mess free. All you need for this is -

500g Soya chaap
1 cup sliced capsicum
1 cup sliced onions
1/2 cup chopped spring onions
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons tomato ketchup
1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
1 tablespoon red chilli sauce
1 teaspoon green chilli sauce
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup cornflour
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Salt to taste
Vegetable oil for frying and cooking
Fresh coriander leaves for garnish

Method: 

1) Boil soya chaap in water for 5-7 minutes until tender. Drain and set aside.
2) In a bowl, mix corn flour, all-purpose flour, and salt. Add water gradually to form a smooth, thick batter.
3) Dip each boiled chaap in the batter, ensuring it's well-coated. Deep-fry until golden brown and crispy. Set aside.
4) In a separate pan, heat a tablespoon of oil. Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté until aromatic. Add sliced onions and bell peppers, stir-frying until they are slightly tender.
5) In the pan with veggies, add soy sauce, tomato ketchup, red chilli sauce, green chilli sauce, vinegar, sugar, and salt. Mix well, allowing the flavours to blend.
6) Add the fried soya chaap to the sauce mixture. Toss and coat the chaap with the sauce evenly.
7) Add chopped spring onions and toss for an additional minute. Make sure the chaap is well-coated in the flavorful sauce.
8) Garnish with fresh coriander leaves. Serve the chilli chaap hot as an appetiser or with steamed rice or noodles.

5. Chaap roll
It is easy to make and eat—an anytime, anywhere meal to satisfy your hunger cravings for something delicious. Chaap rolls can be easily made using these ingredients and methods.

500 g Soya chaap
1 cup thick yoghurt
1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

For wrapping: 

Rotis or parathas
2 Sliced onions
2 Sliced tomatoes
1 cup chopped lettuce or cabbage
Mint chutney
Chaat masala (optional)
Lemon wedges for serving

Method:

1) Boil soya chaap in water for 5-7 minutes until tender. Drain and set aside.
2) In a bowl, mix yoghurt, ginger-garlic paste, red chilli powder, garam masala, turmeric powder, salt, and vegetable oil. Coat the boiled chaap in this marinade. Let it marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator for enhanced flavour.
3) Preheat the oven to 200°C or grill. Thread the marinated chaap onto skewers and cook for 15-20 minutes or until charred.
4) Warm the roti or paratha. Place a portion of the cooked chaap in the centre.
5) Add sliced onions, tomatoes, and chopped lettuce or cabbage on top.
6) Drizzle mint chutney over the filling and sprinkle chaat masala if desired.
7) Roll the roti or paratha tightly, enclosing the filling.
8) Serve the chaap roll hot with lemon wedges and extra mint chutney on the side.