Recipes for Cook

Meal Maker is made out of Soya beans which is a source of high protein and fibrous food. Meal maker can very well substitute chicken or mutton during the months in which Hindu’s refrain from taking non-veg .It is used for preparing delicious foods resembling Non vegetarian diets. Soya bean has 50% vegetable protein and is a good fiber food enabling easy digestion and bowl movement. It is a soft fibrous vegetable matter resembling soft meat in texture. When soaked and boiled for a couple of minutes it assumes a good volume. In chettinad, meal maker kuzhambu is made out of the traditional chettinad masala and will taste like chicken kuzhambu.
Ingredients
Meal maker-100gms
Small onion-20
Garlic-15
Tomato-1
Ginger-small piece (crushed)
Coriander powder-1.5 table spoon
Chili powder-1 table spoon
Turmeric powder-1/2 teaspoon
Lime juice-2 teaspoons
For seasoning
Cardomom-2
Cinnamon-2 small pieces
Clove-2
Birinji leaf-small piece
Star anise-a small piece
Curry leaf- little
Fennel seed-1 teaspoon

To grind
Coconut grated-3 to 4 table spoons
Fennel seeds-1 teaspoon
Small jeera-1 teaspoon
Cashews-10 ( or pottukadalai 1 table spoon)
Method
Boil 4 cups of water and soak the meal maker balls in hot water for 10 minutes. Drain the water. Wash in cold water. Squeeze out the extra water and cut to 4 pieces. I always like to pressure cook the pieces as it will cook soft. If you also like it keep the small cooker or pressure pan in the stove. In one table spoon of oil season the gravy with the items given in “to season’. Sauté the chopped onion, garlic and tomato pieces for 3 minutes. In low fire add the coriander, chili and turmeric powder also and sauté for a minute. If the fire is high these powders will get burnt. So be careful. Add the meal maker pieces also and mix well .Add 3 cups of water and the salt required. Close the cooker and cook for 6 to 7 minutes in medium fire. Meantime grind the items given in to grind to a smooth paste. Open the cooker, after the pressure goes and add the grinded masala. The gravy will turn thick once the curry boils. If you find it too thick add a cup of water. Check for the salt and hotness. Usually it will be short of salt as the meal maker balls would have taken most of the salt. If anything is missing it can be corrected now. If it is too watery even after boiling for 7 minutes, add a teaspoon of coriander powder. Switch off the stove when you get the desired consistency and add the lemon juice