Good soya chunks soak evenly, turn soft and spongy and absorb masala well. Poor ones stay hard, break apart or smell strongly of beans.
Before you buy
- Read the ingredient list. Soya chunks should be made from defatted soya flour. Granvia Soya Chunks are made from pure defatted soya flour.
- Check the protein figure in the nutrition panel. Granvia Soya Chunks declare 52% protein on the pack.
- Look for an intact pack with no moisture or crushed pieces.
Look and smell
- An even light beige to tan colour.
- Chunks of similar size, without lots of broken dust at the bottom.
- A mild, neutral smell, not sour or musty.
The soak test
- Soak a handful in hot water for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Good chunks roughly double in size and turn soft all the way through.
- Squeeze one: it should spring back like a sponge, not crumble.
- The soaking water may turn slightly cloudy, which is normal. Rinse before cooking.
Quick answers
- What are soya chunks made from?
- They are made from defatted soya flour. Granvia Soya Chunks are made from pure defatted soya flour.
- Why do my soya chunks stay hard?
- They were not soaked long enough in hot water. Soak for 10 to 15 minutes until they double in size.