Soya Chunks Pulao

I would start this episode of typed chatting with all you readers out there with an humble question: "How do you look at rice?"

If you happen to be one of the believers of all the fads that nutritionists create in collaboration with the high end crafty marketing teams ruling the market, then you might as well skip this post. Honestly, you should. Because I am not taking the brown rice way, nor create more stories meant to pull down one of the most loved grains of this country: Rice. oh yes, and that too white rice.

I apologies for not having too much of knowledge on the various varieties that the state and the country used to produce, but I am well aware how a lot of those have dried out, only because we pledged our faith to the long grained Basmati. Do not get me wrong, even I am an ardent lover of the fragrant grain, but what I do want to oppose is how to make one survive we happily let go of all the other local varieties. After all survival of the fittest is always been the norm. In his writing Vir Sanghvi laments: 

" If you hear restaurateurs talk, they will brag about roti/ paratha/ naan chef and will praise the touch of his fingers. But no rice cook ever gets any respect: he is just mundu who boils the grains. Worse still, despite being the land of  rice, most Indians have no clue about the many different varieties that are avilable in our country."

So from here, dear friends, starts our rice series. I pledge to post a rice recipe or two every month. They will be humble, not fancy restaurant dishes and s always promises a punch of flavors and comfort. Just like this humble soya pulao.

 So welcome to the first of many more to come. Let's have a look at the list of ingredients and start cooking, shall we?

1. Start by soaking 1 cup of washed Dehradun rice in water for about an hour. Covered and keep aside.

2.  Boil some water with a generous pinch of salt and sugar. Once it starts bubbling, take it off the heat. Now wash and boil 200 gm soya chunks or soyabeen (as we locally call it) and submerge them in boiling water, to soften.

3. Time to chop up some veggies: 3 medium onions + 2 medium tomatoes. Chop them as finely as possible. Pound 4-5 cloves of garlic and about an inch of ginger in a mortar and pestle. 

4. Heat a wide surface pan on the flame, and add 3 tbsp vegetable oil. To this cold oil add in 2 dry red chilies, broken (not images).

5.Once the oil gets lukewarm add in the following: 1 green cardamom (bruised) + 2 black cardamoms   ( forcibly bruised) + 4-5 black peppercorns + 2 bay leafs + 1 star anise #1" cinnamon stick + 1 tsp whole cumin. Stir a bit and wait for them to get aromatic. 

6. Once the cardamom seeds starts to splutter, add in the chopped onions and fry them with a pinch of salt till translucent. Once they have reached the desired state, it's time to bung in the pounded g+g paste. And stir well, of course! Cook for about less than a minute.

7. It's time for the tomatoes + green chilies to go in next. Same procedure of stirring to marry the flavors well. Cover the pan and reduce the flame and allow it about 4 mins to turn mushy.

8. Once the tomato has become a part of the spice base family add the following dried spices: 1.5 tsp red chili powder + 1 tsp rajma masala (store-bought) . Mix well and cook till the raw flavor disappears completely. 

9. Time to add in the soaked rice, and five a stir to combine with teh spice base. Followed by the soya chunks and give a good mix. Add in 2 tsp ghee. Stir well. Add in about 2.25 cups of water + some chicken or vegetable stock powder. Clamp on the lid and allow it to cook for about  16-18 mins, on a medium low flame, till the grains are cooked.

10. Once all the excess water has dried up and grain is all cooked, add in about 1 cap full of kewra or screw pine water + half a cap full of rose water. Place  a kitchen towel on top of the pan, clamp on the lid and allow it to sit for 10 mins. 

11. Always, always fluff rice dishes with a fork. Do the same to this as well. Take it out on your serving platter or on individual plates and serve. 

13. For a more fancier and decadent version add in some cashew nuts fried in a bit of ghee. Simple yet invigorating!! Now to me this is a meal in itself, but if you wish to serve a side dish, you can.

Unlike most of the time, here there are no other pointers, because all that needed to be said, has been revealed. I can also think of a simplified version of this, But first I guess I will wait to hear your take on it. Also, it's very important to have a look at the thumb rule of home cooking: Use up all that is available withing the periphery of your kitchen, your home. So in case, suppose, you do not have the variety of the variety of rice mentioned here in your larder, please do not panic. Go ahead and cook it with whatever you have! Simple. Let me ad, in such a situation the cooking time might vary. Be vigilant!

The same goes for spices. The same goes for whole spices. Trust me no one is entrusted with the responsibility of putting you behind the bars if you mess up or run out of ingredients. In case if rajma masala isn't a part of your pantry staples, I am sure then curry powder is sure to be. Use that!! In case if you do not have either, may be it's time for you to experiment. Of course do not forget to inform me about it!! Rather something tells me, you will be showered with praises, once you get this on the table. After all, the most of all that the pandemic has taught us to value is family, loved ones. They picture never gets complete until there is food on the table and the smile they bring on the faces. Food is a part of our identity and there is no escaping the importance of meal shared with loved ones, cooked with love and served on the table. Agreed?

Even the great master turned to a table full of food to depict The last supper!!