For months on the shelves of supermarkets we have seen textured soybeans and surely more than once you have asked yourself what is it or how to cook it.
That is why we have put ourselves to work to offer you all the information you need. So you can encourage yourself to incorporate it into your diet and prepare delicious recipes with this versatile ingredient.
We have also prepared 10 tips or tricks so that your recipes with this new ingredient are perfect for you.
What is textured soy?
Textured soybeans or soy meat or textured vegetable protein It is a well-known ingredient among the vegan or vegetarian communities as it serves as a substitute for animal protein.
To make this product, we start from soybeans which, once the oil is extracted, are dehydrated to make soybean flour. This is subjected to a process of high temperature, pressure, texturing and dehydration. Once dehydrated it is given different forms ranging from soy fillets, strips, crusts, or crumbs.
The ones that are most seen in supermarkets are medium-sized fine crumbs ideal for making bolognese or meatballs.
What can I do with textured soybeans?
Su neutral taste makes it a very versatile ingredient with which you can prepare countless salty recipes such as bolognese, meatballs, lasagna, cannelloni or as a filling with vegetables and eggs.
Although they do not exclusively have to be salty since they can be made bars and other sweet recipes with a surprising result.
What are its nutritional values?
One of the best qualities of this product is that it is low in saturated fat and salt and is sugar free. Although it must also be remembered that it is an important source of fiber, protein and carbohydrates.
Textured soy is a food rich in potassium, calcium, iron, phosphorus and various vitamins of group B.
The nutritional values per 100 grams of textured soybeans are 364 kcal, 4 g of fats, of which 0,6 g are saturated, 30 g of carbohydrates, 4 g of fiber, 50 g of protein and 0,04 g of salt.
La serving of textured soy per person is between 35 and 40 grams raw, although it will depend on each person.
10 tips to get a perfect recipe with textured soy
Choose the right texture: not all textured soybeans do the same thing. It is exactly the same as with meat when we use minced meat to make meatballs or diced meat to make a stew. So be sure to choose the one that best suits your recipe.
Hydrate: it is important to hydrate it before starting to cook it. You can use only water, your favorite broth or also water with homemade concentrated bouillon tablets.
Use directly: As I mentioned before, it is important to hydrate it but it is not essential since in some recipes that use a lot of broth, such as Bolognese, you can add the textured soy directly to the recipe. During cooking it will hydrate and absorb all the flavor.
Season: It is also essential to season with spices since its flavor is very neutral and these will be in charge of giving it a little life and flavor. You can use cumin, curry, turmeric, oregano, sweet or hot paprika, and of course, black pepper.
Temperature: Hydration is best done with hot liquid since soy hydrates faster. So heat the broth for a few minutes before adding it to the textured soybeans.
Time: The hydration time will depend on the texture of the soy that we are going to use. It can range between 10 and 30 minutes, although it is normal for it to be about 15 minutes. Do not worry if you spend time as it does not spoil or lose texture.
Amount of liquid: The soy is hydrated or soaked with twice as much liquid in volume, that is, if you use a cup of textured soy you will have to put 2 cups of liquid. However, if you cook it directly, you will need 2,5 of its volume, which is 2 and a half measures.
Drain: I do not recommend that you drain the soy excessively. So forget about using a clean cloth or kitchen paper as you can run the risk of it being excessively dry. The best thing in these cases is to use a strainer, so you will get a juicy recipe.
Cooking: Once drained, you can cook it for about 20 minutes in a vegetable sauce or a ratatouille to give it a flavor.
Save time: You can cook the soybeans for more than one day or for more than one recipe. Once ready, store it in an airtight container in the fridge. It is perfectly preserved between 3 and 4 days.
And now that you already know a lot of things about textured soy, do you dare to use it? 😉
More information - Basic recipe: Vegetable concentrated broth tablets
Photos - Meredith Petrick, Kelly Sikkema by Unsplash / Polina Tankilevith by Pexel / Veganmente y Antonio Cansino by Pixabay