The Vegetarian Useful resource Group Weblog

By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

I used to be squatting down in entrance of a bin within the bulk meals part of a neighborhood retailer, when somebody requested, “What are you making with that?” He was curious concerning the TVP chunks that I used to be scooping right into a container. I advised him that I deliberate to make use of the chunks in a curry sauce with cauliflower. Extra questions adopted – How do you prepare dinner TVP chunks? What else are you able to do with them? How do they style? Do TVP chunks have protein? We chatted for some time. Afterwards, I stored occupied with TVP chunks, a product I take advantage of each few weeks.

TVP is constructed from defatted soy flour which is made right into a paste and shaped into completely different shapes like strips, chunks, and flakes. The shapes are dehydrated. I usually use the chunks in recipes rather than seitan strips or cubes or as an alternative of diced tofu. For the reason that dehydrated TVP chunks are shelf steady, they are often stored available to make use of anytime.

To rehydrate the TVP chunks I put them in a heatproof bowl and canopy them with boiling water. I allow them to sit, coated, for about 10 minutes after which drain off any extra liquid. Rehydrated TVP has a reasonably bland style. Some recipes name for soaking TVP chunks in scorching broth, as an alternative of water, so as to add taste. Since I often use them in extremely flavorful sauces, I don’t discover it vital to make use of broth for soaking.

Based on USDA’s nutrient information base, an oz. of dried TVP has roughly 125 energy, 17 grams of protein, 1 gram of fats, 11 grams of carbohydrate, and 6 grams of fiber. TVP provides iron, zinc, and a few calcium and by itself, is low in sodium.

Listed here are 10 concepts for dishes that embrace TVP chunks:

1. Make or purchase a curry sauce, warmth it, and blend with rehydrated TVP chunks and steamed greens of your selection.
2. Barbecue TVP chunks – mix rehydrated TVP chunks with a business or selfmade barbecue sauce and warmth on the stovetop or within the oven or microwave. Serve on a bun or over cornbread.
3. Make a flavorful brown gravy and add rehydrated TVP chunks and pre-cooked stew greens (e.g. carrots, potatoes, turnips, and parsnips). In case you are searching for a very good gravy recipe, Chef Nancy Berkoff, EdD, RD has plenty of concepts. In order for you a very good stew recipe, see the Seitan Stew in this text and change the seitan with rehydrated TVP chunks.
4. Rehydrated TVP chunks are nice in a stir-fry! Add them together with longer cooking greens like onions and carrots to allow them to absorb plenty of taste.
5. TVP chunks will be add to your favourite soup recipe or canned soup. If including them to a soup recipe, you possibly can skip the rehydrating, so long as they’re in a scorching liquid within the soup pot for at the least 10 minutes. In case you are including them to canned soup, both warmth them within the soup or rehydrate the chunks earlier than including them to the soup.
6. Sauté rehydrated TVP chunks with sliced peppers and onions and spices and wrap in a whole-wheat tortilla or serve in whole-wheat rolls.
7. Once you make fried rice, add rehydrated TVP chunks. Right here’s a straightforward recipe for fried rice.
8. Combine rehydrated TVP chunks with Chocolate Mole Sauce (see the mole sauce recipe in The Savory Aspect of Chocolate from Vegan Journal).
9. Make Chef Nancy Berkoff’s Hungarian Sauce, add sautéed mushrooms and onions, and rehydrated TVP chunks and serve over cooked noodles or different pasta.
10. Attempt a shepherd’s pie. Mix rehydrated TVP chunks with leftover cooked greens, add some gravy, prime with mashed potatoes and bake till scorching.