Rajma Masala

One of my favourite comfort foods. I make this for a Sunday afternoon with rice and we also eat it for dinner with rotis. The gravy is tangy because of the tomatoes yet creamy because of the butter and cream. Sounds quite rich. But one can even skip adding the butter and cream, they’re totally optional.
Rajma or red kidney beans are originally from Mexico. They use it to make Mexican chilli dishes. Rajma is very popular in North India especially in Jammu and Kashmir which forms a staple part of their food. Rajma is very high in protein. The most important thing to remember while cooking rajma is to soak them for atleast 10-12 hours. I usually soak them for 24 hours to reduce cooking time. You can pressure cook them or boil them in water till done.

Rajma Masala

 

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Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

45 mins

Total time

1 hour 15 mins

 

Cream and smooth rajma in rich tomato gravy. Goes well with rotis, steamed or jeera rice

Author: Vindhya Desai

Recipe type: Main

Cuisine: North Indian

Serves: Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 Cup rajma
• 1 Tbsp oil
• 4 tomatoes ground to a fine paste
• 1 medium onion chopped finely
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 green chilli
• 1" ginger
• 1 Tsp jeera
• ½ Tsp turmeric
• ½ Tsp red chilli powder
• ½ Tsp jeera powder
• ½ Tbsp dhania powder
• ½ Tbsp garam masala
• 1 Tbsp butter (optional)
• Salt to taste
• 1 Tsp sugar
• ¼ Cup single cream (optional)
• ½ Tbsp kasuri methi
• 1-2 Tbsp chopped coriander
  
  

To finish:

• 1 Tsp Cream
• Chopped coriander leaves

Method

1. Clean and rinse rajma and soak them for atleast 10-12 hours. Pressure cook them for 10-12 whistles and keep aside. If you are boiling them directly in water allow at least 45 mins to 1 hour for the rajma to be well cooked
2. Grind the tomatoes to a fine puree. Keep aside
3. Finely chop the onions
4. Make a coarse paste of ginger, garlic and green chilli
5. Heat oil and butter. Add jeera
6. Once jeera releases its aroma, add chopped onions
7. Saute till they turn translucent. Add ginger, garlic, green chilli paste
8. Add the tomato puree. Let the gravy come to a light boil
9. Add all masalas - jeera powder, dhania powder, garam masala, red chilli powder, turmeric. Mix well
10. Add cooked rajma. Mash a few rajma before adding to the gravy. This makes the gravy thick and even
11. Add butter and cream
12. Add kasuri methi. Mix well
13. Add chopped coriander at last
14. After the gravy has reached a thick consistency turn off the heat
15. Serve hot with rotis or rice

Notes

Add ghee while serving if desired
Do not add butter and cream if you need to make the gravy lactose free

3.5.3208

Stepwise:

1. Clean and rinse rajma and soak them for atleast 10-12 hours. Pressure cook them for 10-12 whistles and keep aside. If you are boiling them directly in water allow atleast 45 mins to 1 hour for the rajma to be well cooked
    
   

2. Grind the tomatoes to a fine puree. Keep aside
   
   

3. Finely chop the onions. Make a coarse paste of ginger, garlic, green chilli
    
   
   

4. Heat oil and butter. Add jeera
    
   

5. Once jeera releases its aroma, add chopped onions
   Saute, till they turn translucent. Add ginger, garlic, green chilli paste
    
   

6. Add the tomato puree. Let the gravy come to a light boil. Cook on simmer or the tomato mixture will splutter
   
   

7. Add all masalas - jeera powder, dhania powder, garam masala, red chilli powder. Mix well
    
   

8. Add cooked rajma. Mash a few rajma before adding to the gravy. This makes the gravy thick and even
    
   

9. Add butter and cream
   
   

10. Add kasuri methi. Mix well
    
    

11. Add chopped coriander at last
    
    

12. After the gravy has reached a thick consistency turn off the heat. Serve hot with rotis or rice