Soy Nuggets Pulav

This is adapted from a recipe given by a dear friend.

Here's how I make it:

1 cup basmati rice - rinsed under cold water and drained
1/4 to 1/2 cup soy nuggets
1/4 cup chopped onions
1/4 cup chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup frozen peas and carrots mix
2 tsp oil
2 tsp yogurt
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
Dry Spices - 1 tsp coriander pwd, 1 tsp cumin pwd, 1/4 tsp red chile pwd, 1/4 tsp garam masala pwd, 1 tbsp kasuri methi crushed between palms, few mint leaves finely chopped
salt to taste, pinch of sugar

Soak the soy nuggets in hot lightly salted water for 15 mins until softened.

Heat oil in a wok. Fry the onions till translucent. Add the tomatoes and ginger garlic paste. As this is frying, mix the dry spices in the yogurt. Add a few tsp water to mix well. Add to the wok. Drain the soy nuggets and squeeze out the excess water with your palms. Do not throw away this water, use it later to cook the pulav. Add the soy nuggets to the wok. I like to roughly chop the softened nuggets to bite size pieces as some of them can be quite a mouthful. Fry the soy nuggets in the masala for 5 mins. Add the rice, frozen peas and carrots, salt and sugar. Add the water used to soak the nuggets and additional water to make abt 2 cups. Bring to a quick boil on high heat. Then reduce heat to medium, cover and cook, stirring occasionally until rice is 3/4th cooked. At this point, cover with a tight fitting lid and cook on low heat, dum-style till fully cooked.

Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with a raita.