Stir fried soya chunks – Sixth sense of a chef!!

Sight, aroma, taste, feel and sound all contribute to the eating experience — we smell food before we see or taste it, and sometimes we even hear it being cooked, these ignite our senses.

We cook with our senses, and we have six of them, all of them critical, the sixth most of all. Taste is the common mantra among chefs: “Always be tasty to the buds.” Enough richness, enough depth, enough seasoning, and enough acidity these all factors we need to consider. We need to tune it like a guitar!!

Senses in cooking:
But often overlooked as a fundamental cooking sense is hearing. For example, throw chopped garlic into a hot oil pan, your sense of hearing triggers and your sense of smell can tell you when it has infused in the oil, smells garlicky and it’s time to follow the other ingredients. But more important is imagined sight. What you expect to see should be a part of the cooking process. Touch is essential, a sense to call attention. We touch bread dough to know how thick it is. Press down on steak to intuit how done it is on the inside (will be posting in my next post in detail). We touch the top of the fish to know how well it is done.
Cooking brings all the senses into our playground of kitchen:
- Sight in the recognition of commodities and the eye appeal in the presentation of dishes.
- Smell in the freshness of food and identifying the various cooking smells.
- Taste an important field and one allied to smell, testing for flavour and the use of seasoning agents.
- Touch, the use of hands in sampling or testing of food for freshness, texture and other factors.
- Hearing in communications and listening to food being cooked, recognition if the food is cooking too fast or slow.
- Kinaesthesia is the sixth sense. A general term involving the coordination of sense in performing a task. The knowledge and the recognition on an unconscious level, this being achieved by proficiency. Cookery brings all the senses into play. Most chefs have highly developed senses particularly of smell, tastes and touch within a built-in sixth sense, that of Kinaesthesia.

Five senses:
Taste, touch, hearing, sight, and smell — lead to the most important sense of all. But the sixth sense: a bit more on explanation is common sense!! This cannot be written into a recipe. You can’t Google the common sense for a recipe!! But it’s critical in good cooking and often lacking in the home kitchen.
This is what missing in my sweetheart Sibil while cooking at home. A five-minute job will be dragged to a five-hour marathon.

Our world is better when we cook for the people we love. Our bodies are healthier, our families are healthier, our communities are healthier, and our environment is healthier. That’s the sense I love most about cooking.


Soya chunks are a defatted soy flour product, a by-product of extracting soybean oil. It is often used as a meat analogue or meat extender. One time I introduced this to a buffet menu in one of the hotels I worked at. An aggressive vegetarian lady turned up with a piled plate of soya and claimed she had beef on a misguided food tag. Standing next to those sharp carving knives I thought it’s going to be the last day of my life. I forget all the six senses explained above. And the seventh sense called in me Helpppp… It took an hour for me to convince her it’s vegetarian.

Stir-fried soya chunks cooking instructions.
- Preparation time – 20 minutes
- Cooking time – 20 minutes
- Serves -4
Ingredients for Stir-fried soya chunks
- Soya chunks – 50 grams
- Oil for frying
- For the batter
- Corn flour – 2 tbsp
- Plain flour – 1 tbsp
- Kashmiri chilli powder or mild paprika – ½ tsp
- Ground black pepper powder – ½ tsp
- Garlic and ginger paste – 1 tsp
- Salt to taste
- Vinegar – 1 tbsp
- Water – 3 tbsp
For the sauce
- Vegetable oil – 2 tbsp
- 1 green chilli (to taste)
- Garlic finely chopped – 5 cloves
- Ginger finely chopped – ½”
- Green, red and yellow pepper diced – 1 cup
- Onion diced – ½ a cup
- 1 tbsp chilli garlic sauce
- 3 tbsp soya sauce
- 2 tbsp tomato ketchup
- 50 ml of water
- 1 tsp cornflour mixed with 2 tsp of water
- Salt to taste
Method to make Stir-fried soya chunks
- Soak the soya in water for 15 minutes
- Wash, strain and squeeze out the water from soya and keep aside in a bowl.
- Heat oil in a wide saucepan. In a mixing bowl add the cornflour, plain flour, chilli powder, black pepper and ginger garlic paste along with the salt. Add the vinegar and water; mix to make a thick batter. Add the soya chunks to it and mix well coating all the pieces with the batter.
- Fry the soya chunks in the hot oil in batches for 1-2 minutes. They should have a slight colour all over. Drain the soya on kitchen paper and set it aside.
To make the sauce.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a wok on medium heat.
- Add the green chilli, chopped garlic and chopped ginger.
- Fry for 10 seconds and add the peppers along with the red onions. Sauté for 1-2minutes until they begin to soften.
- Add the chilli garlic sauce, tomato ketchup and the soya sauce & stir well.
- Add the water and bring to a boil and simmer for 1 minute on low heat.
- Put the cornflour water mix, season to taste and simmer for a further 2 minutes as it begins to thicken.
- Add the fried soya and mix
- Your stir-fried soya chunks are ready to serve with either rice or noodles.
More similar recipes:
- Paneer cheese balls
- Chana masala curry
- How to prepare baingan bharta
- kovakka recipes
- Beetroot pachadi Kerala recipe


Stir fried soya chunks
Ingredients
- 50 gms soya chunks
- oil for frying
For the batter
- 2 tbsp corn flour
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- 1/2 tbsp kashmiri chilli powder
- 1/2 tbsp black pepper powder
- 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- 1/4 cup water
- salt to taste
For the sauce
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 green chilli chopped
- 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1/2 inch ginger finely chopped
- 1 cup green, red and yellow peppers diced
- 1 cup onion diced
- 1 tbsp chilli garlic sauce
- 1 tbsp soya sauce
- 2 tbsp tomato ketchup
- 50 ml water
- 1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 1 tbsp water
- salt to taste
Instructions
Method to make stir fried soya chunk
- Soak the soya in water for 15 minutes
- Wash, strain and squeeze out the water from soya and keep aside in a bowl.
- Heat oil in a wide sauce pan. In a mixing bowl add the corn flour, plain flour, chilli powder, black pepper and ginger garlic paste along with the salt. Add the vinegar and water; mix to make a thick batter. Add the soya chunks to it and mix well coating all the pieces with the batter.
- Fry the soya chunks in the hot oil in batches for 1-2 minutes. They should have a slight colour all over. Drain the soya on kitchen paper and set aside.
To make the sauce
- Heat the vegetable oil in a wok on a medium heat.
- Add the green chilli, chopped garlic and chopped ginger.
- Fry for 10 seconds and add the peppers along with the red onions. Sauté for 1-2minutes until they begin to soften.
- Add the chilli garlic sauce, tomato ketchup and the soya sauce & stir well.
- Add the water and bring to a boil and simmer for a 1minute on a low heat.
- Add the corn flour water mix, season to taste and simmer for a further 2 minutes as it begins to thicken.add the fried soya and mix
- Your stir fried soya chunks is ready to serve with either rice or noodles.
yummmmy
delicious. I remember in my childhood, when mommy used to fry soya chunks before making the curry, I always picked most of them and ate after sprinkling common salt on it.
Amazing blog. and I can imagine cooking this recipe while I am reading to this.
🙂
Hi vikas, fried soya chunks are amazing!! At least I could jog you to your child hood memories. Thank you.
right Sumith. Have a good day 🙂
Garlicky… ??
Soya chunks seem to be our mess’s fav kind of food!
Haha Aswt, its because it’s cheap and cheerful. I can eat soya all long day!!
:)?
Nice
Thanks you Ickarus:)
Wonderful post . Cooking with the senses including the sixth sense ….. Great recipe!! Lovely presentation.My mom to refuses to believe that soya chunks are vegetarian. ??
Thank you Radhika. One more sense you miss in that. The seventh sence? I love soya, feels bit like eating red meat!!
Help…..the seventh sense haha ??
It’s amazing Sumith…more than the recipe it’s your presentation that makes my eyes to glue to the screen??… I just loved that pot..
Thank you Lathiya. You so kind:)
Your presentation is mind-blowing as usual. And so true, though I never realized it, but I do use a lot of hearing when cooking especially when making ghee!
Thank you Annika. Cooking is amazing if you listen to the rhythm in it. Food talks to you if you are passionate to him!!
A lovely info along with an amazing recipe..will try it for sure…???
Thank you Neethu. You are always inspirational!!
Nice presentation:) looks delicious!
Thank you Uma:) Glad you like it!!
First of all, love the pictures 🙂 The presentation is beautiful, elegant, lovely. I wish it was possible to smell and taste through the net.
Hi Aheikkinen, on an affair with food, the food will talk back to you. Your words are an ultimate example for this. Thanks you. You are so kind and very inspirational!!
i liked the detailing about how to cook 🙂 Btw, in the pics, there are a bunch of keys, are those keys to your kitchen ? If so, I would like to steal them 😀 I could have yummy food plus those look antique, i love antiques 🙂 😉
Hi Elaine, those keys are to open your heart!! Choice is yours!! The keys to open hearts of all real food lovers!! Me too love antiques, has got a huge collection. Thank you for your motivation:) You are so kind.
🙂
This recipe is new to me. It seems ? after reading your post, I’ll try it in my kitchen as soon as posible. By the way before reading your post I was also thinking that It was a nonveg recipe so first I refused my self to read it just because I’m a pure vegetarian? but then don’t know what happened and I just started to read you post…& now I’m elated that I did right ?
Hi Radhika, if you have never tried this before this is a must one. The taste is beyond words of expression!! Thanks for stopping by. Stay tuned.. Will give you many more surprise!!
Definitely, I’ll try it out as soon as possible?. Surely tell you that how’s
Thank you for the fees back. Cook same as the way you enjoy music!!!????
Yeah! I will?
Definitely, I’ll try it out as soon as possible.Surely will tell you that how’s it & yaa looking forward for more surprises from you!!
Radhuka cook it the same way as you enjoy your music!! They will never disappoint you?
Hii !! Do you know You called me ? radhuka..it’s really fun to hear…but I like it thanks for giving me a new name. its indeed nice..☺
Haha auto correct even change the gender? Not only the names!!
Hahahaaa….it happes with me also.?
Thanks for stopping by Radhika.
i liked that picture…….
Thank you Sudhir:)
Hai what you have written is very true.The aroma while cooking can make tell that what the dish needs,
Spices or salt.
Then about your presentation it is superb as usual.
Continue with more interesting ones.
Thank you krishna, more over we now speek in the language of food. Love this amazing world of food blogging. Lots to share!! lots to gain!!
Yes I agree
Wow what a delightful read Sumith! And, such an easy recipe too! But I am eager to know how you convinced the lady in the end?
Utkarshani, thank you. Yes it’s a simple yet tasty recipe. To convince her I had to go to Himalayas??(walk in deep freezer!! It’s a big room keeping the temperature below-18 degree Celsius in the hotels) To fetch that packet of soya with a proof of nutritional facts?
As always loved reading the post, totally agree to the play of senses while cooking :), the attached picture was the one that stopped me in the track kinda, it is beautiful. Absolutely loved the presentation!
Ash, thank you. Glad you like the read. These play of senses brings more spirit in this game!! You first eat with your eyes and the other senses to follow? The eyes again hooked you in this post. Appreciate your inspiration:-)
🙂
Nice presentation… Yummy food
Thank you Ruchi for the compliment.
I know that a good meal involves more than just our sense of taste, but I’d never thought much about hearing before. I guess it’s true, though, that the sizzle or crackle of a dish can add to the anticipation that we feel. 🙂
Hi Bun, tune your senses to eat like a king!! Hearing plays a huge role in that. This is why some of the restaurants have live grill. Out door BBQ ‘s are another example for these. I could talk on these all long day!! Have a nice day Bun?
The sizzling of a BBQ is a great sound. I like the smell too.Have a nice weekend. 🙂
Gorgeous presentation and pictures Sumith! Love soya chunks in all its forms ? Thanks for sharing!
Thanks you priya:) Soya chunks are gems in vegetarian cooking!!
Looks lovely!!
Thank you Anu:)
You are a Master of presentation Sumith. I am not generally a fan of soya but this looks very tempting!
Thank you Brigid for that inspirational words:)
This is a unique dish of Soya, I think. I never knew that Soya can be so glamorous. Congrats, Sumith.??
Thank you Tandrima for those inspirational words:)
Presentation at its best Sumith.I can live whole day on soya nuggets.
Hi Auradha, me too love soya:) you are very motivational!!
Thanks, but above all your presentation is mind blowing.
Thank you Anuradha. Your words made my day!! Have a great day ahead:)
My pleasure.
Delightful to look?
Thank you SKD:)
Wonderful , thank you for the lovely recipe!
Thank you Heartafire:)
Thank you !
Delectable presentation. I tried making something like this last night for dinner. I had all the right ingredients but forgot the salt until the last minute. I wish I’d seen this recipe first! Your clients and customers are so lucky to have you.
HI Sabiscuit, thank you. salt adds the final tune of any dish. Hopefully you would try it another time. And my custimer?is my wife. I am trying all my experiments in her???. Have a great week end!!
Your wife’s incredibly lucky. I will be trying again with a mango chutney sauce. Thank you for the encouragement. Best wishes. xo
Thank you Sabiscuit, she eat like a Queen since I start my food blog.?keep going with your love on food. Food will love you back!! Have a nice day!!
Sumith you are a magician! loved this.
Love your magical words, food and olives:) Love you have a great weekend:)
Wow Sumith I must say what tastefully and aesthetically you have presented your work and so well written. Seriously I too think you are a magician. Your family must be loving every bit of you and your culinary skills. Lovely.
Hi Kamal, thank you for that inspirational words. I am so delighted!! My kids love watching these stuffs. And since starting this blog my sweet heart eats like a Queen??. Enjoying every bit of it. More over with friends like you in this amazing world of blogging.
You’re always welcome Sumith and glad to hear all your lovely words. Keep up the good work.
Hi kamal thank you. Together we all could make more and more smiley faces?????.
You r always welcome Sumith?????
Looks absolutely delicious like every recipe of yours! You are too good Sumith!?
Thank you Payel:) Love you for that amazing bunch of inspirational words?
??
Delighted to have found your blog. Look forward to reading more.
Hi Chez Shea, welcome aboard. In a while you too start to speak in we chefs language. Stay tuned until you get that tune????. Thank you Chez??
So pretty! I love the copper serving dish.
Thank you Chef Mimi:)
Reblogged this on MAXIMUSOPTIMUSDOMINUS.
Thank you for the recipe Sumith. I eat a lot of soy but never have I battered soy pieces. I will give this a go for sure, sounds very good.
Thank you Myra. Battered soya moist in these sauce is so delicious. You will love it.
Looks yummy ??… I love soya chunks in every form ?
Thanks you Rateka, one of my favourites aswell?
Another well written article Sumith – you wrote from my heart. Concerning smells and Spices, we spent hours in Mattancherry/Fort Cochin yesterday shopping for spices and other items for my kitchen. I love the smell – huge sacks full of delicious colourful spices ect. PS, you don’t really want a second tent ,- winter is knocking on the door,.??
Hi Carina, thank you for taking me though that Jew streets in Mattanchery. I can smell that aroma of spices. Between from your photo of Taj Wellington island, was the place I get hatched in hotel industry. My first industrial training I have done it there in that hotel. Yes, it’s better to be behaved, than a frost in the winter??
What a great recipe. Thanks so much for sharing!
Thanks you Debbie.
Very nice write up talking about the six senses of cooking. Yes it is a fact that sound, taste and ……..is important and the sixth sense ….. I think chef’s like you can handle the time constraint more efficiently than we home cooks. Accept it. But hopefully you didn’t get the chance to setup the tent in your garden.
Thank you Meena. Cooking at home is fun. No decorator decorate his house. With this blog my sweet heart eat like a Queen???she should be thankful to WordPress!! Some times we never thought of how we really enjoy our food. An example for touch sense – when you dine, your feel of the glass ware, feel of the plate ware, weight of the cutlery. These all are the minute things we have never noticed in ourself when we enjoy food. My next post is on touch sense in cooking and eating food!! In between some body has warned me, winter is on its way, don’t take any chance?? Have a great day!!
Sumith, it’s a very interesting post, especially for the about senses. Kinaesthesia is a new term that I knew from you. We often use our five senses in cooking. But, that sixth sense is amazing. I saw it in my mother to some extent. After reading your post first time I realized it . will tell it to my Mom.
Thank you Sayanti, for me the easiest person to sense Kinaesthetic is my sweet heart?? on the start itself the smell sense triggers??. For we chefs seeing the recipe itself we could predict the outcome to certain extend!! Tell your Mom a hello from me.
My pleasure, Sumith. You both have the greatest quality of a master chef. Wish you all the best. Mom will be happy to hear that.
Haha thank you Sayanti. Have a nice day
Same to you dear.
You can’t Google common sense, indeed, and you also can’t Google a sense of humor! This is adorable, Sumith!
Haha Dolly, liked your humour sense??
🙂
I think your posting on ‘false pretences’ Sumith – Common sense… mmm – think that just flew out of the window with this post.. Now you have 2 women ready to hit your jugular with those VERY sharp knives.. Sibil and the Vegetarian lady – haha.. I think you’ve ‘lost your senses’… Get that tent ready – I’ve got one you can borrow if required! … I hope you survive to post another day… Yikes – wouldn’t want to be in your shoes later!!!
Haha Wendy I am well behaved now:) No need of that tent. Thank you. Wish to live bit more. Winter is on its way??
I hope you did some considerable ‘creeping’ to make up for it! hehe x
Nowhere I’ve read a more enlightening version of Kinaesthesia. You are so natural with your skills, Sumith. Kudos to your creativity…. 🙂
Thank you Maniparna. You are a great inspiration!!
Wow Sumith I can’t remove my eyes from the picture. Mind blowing presentation. And amazing write up. Enjoyed every line. Keep writing.
Thanks for the recipe. Tasted it in a wedding party. Loved the taste. Now I got the recipe.
Thank you Sujata for those inspirational words. You are just amazing!