This is one of the most famous dishes of North Indian cuisine. Nothing can beat this delectable combination of Rajma masala and chawal (steamed rice). Even jeera rice or rotis / parathas / breads do complete justice to this recipe.
We suggest to soak rajma beans overnight to reduce cooking time. However, if you forget to soak them overnight, or you only have few hours left to cook, do not worry. We have an alternate solution. Combine Rajma beans and warm water in a casserole (insulated), cover the lid and keep for about 4-5 hours. By using warm water our soaking time will be nearly halved.
Make sure the kidney beans are well cooked though, so they are easy to digest.
More Curry/Sabzi Recipes on the blog –
Baingan Bharta
Kaju Karela
Mixed Vegetables in Spinach Gravy
Bhindi Masala
Sev Tamatar ki Sabzi
Rajma Masala
Pumpkin Sabzi
Rajma Masala
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Ingredients (1 cup = 240 ml)
- ½ cup Rajma red kidney beans, or 1 cup soaked rajma
- 2 onions finely chopped
- 3 tomatoes chopped
- 1 tablespoon oil + 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 broken dry red chili deseeded
- ½ teaspoon jeera/cumin seeds
- 1 green chili - cut into 2 pieces/finely chopped
- a pinch if hing/asafoetida
- 5-6 garlic cloves chopped or minced
- an inch piece of ginger grated or chopped
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder/haldi
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder/dhania powder
- 1 teaspoon jeera/cumin powder
- ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder use more if you want it to be spicy
- ½ teaspoon kitchen king masala/garam masala powder
- 1 tablespoon fresh curd/dahi
- salt as per taste
Instructions
- Wash and soak rajma in enough water overnight.
- Drain the water and rinse again in fresh water.
- Pressure cook rajma with 2 cups water, pinch of salt and few drops of oil for 15-20 mins on medium flame.
- Meanwhile chop onions, garlic and tomatoes.
- Once the pressure settles down, check if it’s cooked by pressing one rajma bean. If you still find it hard, you can put the rajma to pressure cook for another 5-10 mins adding some more water.
- If it is cooked properly, then strain the rajma and keep aside. Preserve the rajma stock also. (we will use it to prepare our gravy)
- Heat oil and butter in a non-stick pan and add dry red chilli and cumin seeds. Once they splutter, add the green chilli, hing, and onions. Sprinkle some salt and sauté on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add garlic and ginger and saute for a few more seconds.
- Now add chopped tomatoes and saute till tomatoes becomes soft and pulpy.
- Now add all the spice powders i.e. red chilli powder, garam masala /kitchen king masala powder, jeera powder and dhaniya powder and salt. Saute till oil+butter starts separating from our masala. Do this on a medium flame while stirring continuously. Otherwise, spices will get burnt, and there will be a burnt flavour in our rajma masala.
- Now add the rajma beans and its stock (which we had kept aside) and cook on medium flame for about 10-15 minutes or till our gravy thickens. Mash a few rajma beans with the help of a spoon. This will thicken our gravy.
- In the end, add fresh curd/dahi and mix well. Just heat it for a minute. Do not let it boil. Remove from flame.
- Serve rajma masala hot with steamed/jeera rice or Butter roti/naan.
Notes
Nutrition
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