Soya tikka (धोखेबाज़ कबाब).

Many years ago in Aligarh one tiny thelawala used to sell them. My husband Sanjay was always singing songs about those soya kebabs with loads of chutney and butter in it.

Now on FB we have many chef friends around and during once long discussions I got to know that there is a hidden trick to make soya kebabs juicy and deliciously same like chicken tikka.

I tried that for first time. Now what was the result? We make 7 chapatis in my home. Now I made 17 chapatis that day.

Rushed to kitchen again n again because everybody was like “one more chapati”.

So not taking much of your time – Here is the recipe with tricks. You need to read this recipe 2-3 times to get perfect result.

For family of 4 persons you will need 250 gms of soya chunks.

1- Wash well and now Soak bamboo grilling sticks into a big flat pan with kevra mixed water. And grind 1 Table spoon ajwain and 1 Table spoon of red chillies flakes. Soak in 4-6 table spoons of water.

2- Now in a bowl take 2 cups of thick curd and melted 1/4 cup desi ghee. Whisk very well for 2-4 minutes a must.Process is called ekdil ho jana.

3- Mix in following ingredients –

1- Fresh garlic paste -3-4 tablespoons

2- White salt – 1 Table spoon

3- Black salt – 1/2 Tea spoon

4- Turmeric powder – 2 table spoons

5- White pepper powder – 1 Tea spoon

6- Kashmiri lal mirch – 4 Table spoons

7- Yellow mustard powder – 2 Table spoons

8- Mix of ajwain and red chillies powder in water

9- Red onion grated and squeezed -1/4 cup

Mix all very well again and keep aside for 1 hour.

In a big bhagona kind of deep pan, boil 2 ltrs of water with green cardamom, salt and turmeric in. Let it boil very well.

With chimta or holder burn 6 bamboo sticks on gas stove until they are black and broken. Keep in a plate.

Let them cool.

Put soya chunks in the boiling water and turn the flame low. Let them boil for 10 minutes. After that turn off the flame. Wash and squeeze well.

Mix these chunks with marination paste. In a small steel bowl break those burnt bamboo sticks. Put 1 tsp heated n boiling desi ghee over it. Cover the bowl with cling film immediately.

Keep this bowl aside for 5-6 hours in normal temperature. Later shift the bowl in fridge for 6-8 hours again. Keep those soaked bamboo sticks pan in fridge as well.

Making process –

Take a big tray, grease it well, grease the bamboo sticks as well, now put chunks on presoaked bamboo sticks and chop few big chunks of red onion and tomatoes too to grill it alongwith.

Preheat oven on full 250 degrees for 15-20 minutes and slide the tray. Let it be there for 30-40 minutes. Take out brush with desi ghee and slide back for more 20 minutes.

Now take out, brush again with desi ghee and two sticks at a time, grill on open flame of gas stove and slide to a big bowl.

When all done here starts the real process.

Mix 1 cup thick curd, 1/2 cup cream, 1/2 cup melted salted butter, green coriander chutney, chat masala and green coriander chopped very well. Add it to the bowl of grilled kebabs. Mix and serve with rumali roti or nans.