Rajma is a flavourful and delicious curry that is made with red kidney beans. Indian cuisine is a rich source of fibre and protein. High-fibre content improves digestive tract health. Magnesium and folate make it healthy for the heart.
Ingredients
- Ghee or oil – 2 to 3 tbsp
- Ginger garlic paste – 1½ tsp
- Onions – 1¼ cup (cubed)
- Tomatoes – 1 cup (chopped)
- Rajma or Kidney beans – ¾ cup
- Water – 2½ cup (as per requirement)
- Ginger julienned – 1 tsp
- Green chili – 1 (slit)
- Salt – As per requirement
- Cilantro or coriander leaves – 2 tbsp (finely chopped)
- Cream – 2 tbsp (optional)
- Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
- Red chili powder – ½ to ¾ tsp
- Garam masala powder – 1 tsp
- Coriander powder – 1¼ tsp
- Dry fenugreek leaves – ¾ tsp (optional)
- Cumin or Jeera – ½ tsp
- Bay Leaf – 1 (small)
Preparation of Rajma (Kidney Beans):
- Wash rajma properly and soak in a lot of water for 8 hours.
- Drain the water and rinse the rajma well. Add in 2 cups of freshwater.
- Add them in a pressure cooker and cook them until they are not mushy but soft. For a regular pressure cooker, it will take 4 whistles on a medium flame. In case of an instant pot, high pressure for 18 minutes will do the trick. The pressure should be naturally released.
- If you have done it the right way, the rajma will become soft. It should not even be slightly hard. If they are hard, cook them for 2 more whistles. Also, save the water. It will be used later.
Preparing the Rajma (Kidney Beans)
- Take a pan and add water to it. Heat the water until it becomes slightly warm.
- Then, add cubed onions to the water and boil it for 2 to 3 minutes or until the onions become transparent.
- Drain all the water. Let the onion cool down and then make a fine paste. Set the paste aside.
- In the same jar, make a tomato puree. To get a thicker gravy, you can add 2 tbsp of cooked rajma in the blender with the tomatoes.
- Take another pan and add oil in it.
- Heat the oil and then add bay leaf and cumin. Sauté them until they start to sizzle.
- Add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté it until the raw smell goes away and a nice aroma comes out.
- Add the onion paste and keep sautéing until the paste becomes golden.
- Next, add the tomato puree and sauté it until the raw smell fades away.
- Add salt and the other spice powders. Continue sautéing until the oil starts to separate.
- Add cooked rajma and pour the water in which the rajma was cooked. You can add more water to get the desired thickness.
- Put the slit green chili and the ginger juliennes in the Rajma.
- Cover the rajma and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes on a low flame.
- Mash the rajma to check if they are done or not.
- Sprinkle some crushed dry fenugreek leaves and coriander leaves.
- You can also add 2 tbsp cream and stir gently to get the restaurant-style taste. Take the Rajma out of the stove.
- Garnish with chopped green coriander, butter and cream. Serve hot.
Rajma tastes best when eaten with plain rice. This delicious combo is a favourite in several North Indian households. To enjoy this flavoursome dish to the max, eat some lemon and onion wedges on the side.