Rehydrate the soya chunks by placing them into a bowl of warm water and letting them soak for 30 minutes. During this time, consciously divert your thoughts from the dog-food-like appearance of soya chunks, and begin preparing the sauce for the stew.
200 g dehadrated soya chunks
In a non-stick pan, combine onion, garlic, and olive oil, sautéing the mixture on medium heat. Once the onion has softened and turned clear, add tomato purée, potatoes, rosemary, a pinch of salt, and a cup of water, and let simmer for about 15 minutes.
500 g tomato purée (or chopped canned tomatoes), 2 large potatoes, cubed, 1 garlic clove, crushed, 1 onion, thinly sliced, 1 tbsp dried powdered rosemary (or a nice sprig of fresh), 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Grab the rehydrated soya chunks, give them a gentle squeeze, and add them to the pan, adding more rosemary if the sauce is not flavorful enough. Rosemary plays a crucial role in elevating the dish, so do not hesitate to use it generously, especially if you have powdered dried rosemary on hand.
Some might argue that a simple stir at this point suffices to deem the mission accomplished. However, I maintain that the soya. chunks should simmer in the sauce a bit longer to eventually soak up some flavor. Periodically, add a little water to the pot to prevent the sauce from drying out too much, and let the soya chunks cook for at least half an hour.
Once the potatoes reach perfect tenderness and the soya stew has absorbed some of the sauce, taste and adjust the salt if necessary.