Plant-based Butter Chik’n with Soy Curls

A fragrant and delicious Indian favorite featuring soy curls in a silky smooth and rich creamy plant-based tomato sauce.

There are many incredible Indian dishes and I have yet to find one I don’t enjoy. Though, Masala Dosa, Samosas, Baingan Bharta, Chana Masala, and Butter Chicken are probably my favorites. And while we do enjoy going to restaurants and ordering take out, we also enjoy recreating these delectable dishes at home where we can control the sodium, oil, and spice level.

Have you ever had Butter Chicken? It’s probably one of the most well-known and beloved Indian dishes around the globe.

Since curiosity got the best of me, a quick google search indicates that Butter Chicken was created by Kundan Lal Gujral at Moti Mahal restaurant in Delhi, India in 1948 and resembles tikka masala. Known as Murgh Makhani in Hindi, it is reportedly the most popular Indian dish in the world – and for good reason!

Butter Chicken is luxuriously creamy, savory, and mildly spicy. According to legend, Butter Chicken was the result of combining leftover butter and tomato marinade and stewed tandoori chicken. (Shafali)

Honestly, aren’t leftovers amazing? I simply adore leftovers…. especially when they look and taste like this!

Unlike most Butter Chicken recipes, this is a plant-based and vegan recipe that contains no dairy, no oil, and no added sodium. And instead of chicken, it uses soy curls. Plus, this recipe uses cashews instead of dairy yogurt, oil or ghee. But honestly, the spices are the true superstars that truly make this dish special. Each of these components combine to create a one-of-a-kind favorite.

Have you ever heard of or used Butler Soy Curls? They are incredibly versatile and nutritious. I explain all about them in my Sweet and Sour Orange Chik’n and Vegetables Stir Fry post.

Butler Soy Curls are made of 100% delicately textured Non-GMO soy beans. They are a whole food plant-based protein consisting of one ingredient. This means they have all the health benefits of the soybean.  One serving (3/4 cup or 30 grams) contains 5 grams of fat and 11 grams of protein. (Butler Foods). Check out these incredible soy curls!!

You can buy Butler Soy Curls direct from Butler, on Amazon, or from Country Life Natural Foods. I prefer buying them from Country Life Natural Foods since they’re much more affordable and excellent quality. They add incredible texture and protein to this recipe.

Next up is the cashew. Did you know that cashews are used a lot in Indian cooking? And despite the rumor that you’ll get fat from eating too many of them, research shows that eating cashews provides many health benefits. First, cashews can help lower LDL (the bad cholesterol), while increasing the carrying capacity for HDL (the good cholesterol). HDL absorbs the cholesterol from the heart and moves it to the liver to be broken down properly.

Second, cashews are rich in minerals like copper, which reduces risk of anemia. But they are also rich in selenium, zinc, magnesium, iron and phosphorous. Cashews contain powerful antioxidants like Zea Xanthin, which promotes eye health by forming a protective layer over the retina, preventing UV rays from harming your eyes. Antioxidants are good for your skin and help prevent cancer, too. They also contain phytochemicals and plant proteins.

Cashews aren’t just healthy though. When blended, they lend a rich and creamy velvety texture to sauce recipes that normally contain dairy or oil. I use cashews to make Vegan Mozzarella, Mighty Cheez Sauce, Chickpea Korma, and more. This recipe uses the delicate cashew to create a super rich and creamy sauce in leu of yogurt. The key is to soak and rinse the cashews and then puree them with a touch of lemon juice. And it works like a charm!

But as mentioned before, soy curls and cashews aren’t the only stars of this Plant-based Butter Chik’n with Soy Curls. It really is the unique blend of spices and herbs that lend this dish with a singularly distinctive flavor. In the original version, chicken is marinated for hours in a spice-yogurt blend. But to keep things very simple and whole food plant-based, a special blend of herbs and spices are used to capture the essence this incredible dish.

Just like many recipes, the spice blend varies between restaurants and cooks around the globe and depends greatly on personal preference, The spices and herbs featured in this recipe include garlic, ginger, garam masala, coriander, turmeric, cumin, Kashmiri chili powder, smoked paprika, fresh lemon juice, and freshly chopped cilantro. They’re fairly standard fare commonly used to make butter chicken. Feel free to adjust the seasoning blend by adding a little more Kashmiri chili powder or cumin or garam masala.

In case you aren’t familiar with it, Kashmiri chili powder is a flavorful spice commonly used in Indian cuisine. Kashmiri chili are milder red peppers grown and dried in India with a deep red color and wrinkled skin. When used, Kashmiri chili instantly imparts a vibrant red hue common in Indian cuisine.

The Kashmiri chili powderIt contains slightly more heat than paprika but is a lot less spicy than cayenne pepper, which is one of my favorite characteristics of this awesome spice. It adds a lot of full-bodied flavor and aroma without too much heat. If you aren’t able to find it in a store, I purchase mine on Amazon and use it every time I make an Indian dish. It’s an incredible spice and provides so much gorgeous color to this tasty dish.

This Plant-based Butter Chik’n with Soy Curls is fantastic served over steaming brown basmati rice. But you can also serve it over regular rice, cauliflower rice, quinoa, or any other grain. Of course it’s also great served with fresh warm naan or roti. But we typically serve it over brown basmati rice cooked in the Instant Pot. Brown basmati rice is considered a whole grain since it contains the germ, bran, and endosperm. It also contains micronutrients like folate, thiamine, and selenium. (Healthline)

I hope you enjoy these Plant-based Butter Chik’n with Soy Curls as much as I do.  Please leave a comment below, tag a picture @pebblesandtoast and #pebblesandtoast on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook!   I’m just starting out and would love to see your results.  Enjoy!!

Ingredients

• 2 cups basmati rice
• 2-3 cups butler soy curls*
• ½ cup cashews
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 Tbsp garlic
• 1 Tbsp ginger
• 1 Tbsp garam masala
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup plant milk
• Salt and pepper to taste (optional)
• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice 
• ¼ – ½ cup cilantro, chopped

Rice Instructions

1. Place basmati rice in the Instant Pot.
2. Pour in 2 ½ cups of water.  
3. Cook on high pressure for 4 minutes for white rice or 20 minutes for brown rice; then allow pressure to release naturally (15-20 minutes).

Sauce Instructions

4. Place soy curls in a bowl and cover with hot water.  Set aside.
5. Place cashews in a separate bowl and cover with hot water.  Set aside.
6. In a large saucepan, sauté onions on low to medium heat for 4-5 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, drain and rinse the cashews well.
5. In a high-powered blender, combine milk, rinsed cashews, and crushed tomatoes and blend until smooth.  Set aside.

4. Add minced garlic and ginger to the onions and sauté until onions are fully cooked. Add 1-2 Tbsp of water, if needed.
5. Stir in the spices and sauté 1-2 minutes, releasing their aroma.
6. Drain the soy curls completely and add them to the saucepan.  Stir to coat with spices and onions.

4. Pour in the cashew-tomato-milk blend over the spiced soy curls and gently stir to combine.  
5. Continue to cook on low, stirring occasionally for 5-10 minutes.
6. Add lemon juice and add salt and pepper, if using.  Adjust any spices, as desired.
7. Remove from heat.
8. Garnish with fresh cilantro.

Notes

• I use about 2 handfuls of butler soy curls.  Depending on the size of the pieces, it equates to between 2 and 3 cups.  This doesn’t need to be an exact measurement. You can add more or less, based on what you have and your preference.

This is delicious served over brown basmati rice, but can be served over any grain or with naan or roti.