Rajma Masala, How to make Rajma Masala

Rajma masala recipe with step by step pics:

This famous North Indian curry is a weekend brunch in my home. Rajma is one of the most loved Punjabi vegetarian curries. Rajma chawal is a popular combination, which is basically rajma (red kidney bean) curry mixed with steamed rice. And when you have rajma and rice, do you need anything else. The melt in mouth rajma beans in a creamy curry along with rice and you have a comforting meal.

This particular recipe of rajma is made in restaurant style goes very well with both rice as well as naan. While making rajma, the kidney beans have to be cooked very well. It should be melt in mouth when you bite into them offering no resistance. This is very crucial aspect of cooking rajma. Even in restaurants, the beans have a bite in them and this not only ruins the texture of the dish but also affects your stomach.

Step by step rajma masala recipe:

1. Rinse ½ cup rajma beans for a couple of times in running water.
2. Then soak the rajma beans in enough water overnight or for 8-9 hours.
   
3. The next day or after 8to 9 hours, drain the soaked water.
   
4. Rinse the rajma beans again in fresh clean water. Drain them and add the rinsed rajma in a pressure cooker. 
5. Add 1.5 to 2 cups water, ¼ tsp salt and stir. Pressure cook the rajma for 8-10 whistles or for about 10-12 minutes.
6. When the rajma is cooking, you can chop 1 onion (1/2 cup finely chopped).
7. Grind 1 large tomato (3/4 cup chopped) , 1 inch ginger and 1-2 small garlic cloves and 1 green chilis into a paste and keep aside.
   
8. When the pressure settles down on its own, open the lid, check if rajma is cooked or not, by pressing a bean or taking a bite. The rajma beans should be completely cooked. If they are not cooked completely, then pressure cook again adding some water if required for some minutes.
   
9. Heat 1 tsp butter with 1 tbsp oil in another pot or pan.
   
10. Add ¼ tsp cumin first and let them crackle and get browned.
11. Then add onions, stir and saute them.
    
12. Keep on stirring the onions while sautéing them. Fry it till golden brown.
13. Add tomato puree and saute for 2-3 minutes.
    
14. Add all the spice powders- 1/8 tsp turmeric powder, ¼ tsp red chili powder, ½ tsp coriander powder, ¼ tsp garam masala powder and a pinch of hing/asafoetida. Stir well.
    
15. Saute the whole masala mixture till the oil starts leaving the masala.
    
16. Add the rajma beans to the masala. You can strain the rajma beans and keep the stock aside.
    
17. Stir and saute for a minute. Add 1.5 cup of stock or a mixture of stock and water to the rajma. Add salt as required.
    
18. Stir the whole curry mixture. Simmer it without lid for 5-6 minute or more till the curry thickens slightly. The gravy should not be watery. If required mash a few rajma with spoon, this helps to thicken the curry.
19. Continue to simmer till you get a medium consistency. Do stir at intervals.
20. Add ½ tsp kasuri methi, crushed between palms.
    
21. Add 2 tbsp of cream. Stir very well and simmer for a minute. Turn off the heat.
    
22. Serve Rajma Masala with jeera rice, steamed basmati rice, naan or roti.
    

TIPS

• The rajma should be soaked well or else it will take a lot of time to cook it.
• The rajma gravy is never watery but smooth. If you find that the curry is too watery, cook it without lid to evaporate the water.
• If the curry is too dry then or the water reduces while cooking then add some hot water.
• As rajma are different at different places some rajma beans take a long time to cook than other varieties. I have faced this issue many times. So I try to use the rajma beans which are not old.
• The other thing I do is soak them for 12 to 15 hrs instead of 8 hrs. This has worked for me always. Just change the water after 7 -8 hours and add fresh water to the beans to soak.
• The rajma beans should be well cooked and soft. 
• I have used regular red rajma beans for the recipe. You could try it with tinned kidney beans. Though I have never tried anything with tinned beans and don’t know how the recipe would taste. In using regular rajma, the flavors and aroma of the gravy is absorbed by the rajma as we cook everything together.
• If you don’t have a pressure cooker, use a pot to cook the rajma. But it would take a lot of time.

Rajma masala recipe below:

Rajma masala Prep time Cook time Total 10 min 35 min  45 min Rajma masala- Popular North Indian curry made with red kidney beans. AUTHOR: Monali RECIPE TYPE: Main CUISINE: Indian, Punjabi SERVES: 2-3 INGREDIENTS (measuring cup used, 1 cup=240 ml) ½ cup rajma / kidney beans ½ cup finely chopped onion 1 large tomato, chopped 1 inch ginger /adrak 1-2 small garlic cloves/lehsun ¼ tsp cumin seeds/ jeers 1/8 tsp turmeric powder/ haldi ¼ tsp red chili powder/ lal mirch ½ tsp coriander powder/ dhania ¼ tsp garam masala A pinch of hing / asafoetida 2 tbsp cream ½ tsp kasuri methi/ dry fenugreek leaves, crushed 1 tbsp. butter + 1 tbsp oil Salt as required 1.5 to 2 cups of water for cooking. DIRECTION Rinse and soak the rajma in enough water over night or for 9 hours. Next day discard the water and rinse the beans again in fresh water. In a pressure cooker add rajma beans, ¼ tsp salt and 1.5 cups of water. Cook on medium flame for 10-12 minutes. While the rajma is cooking you can grind the tomatoes, garlic, ginger and green chilies into a puree. When the pressure settles down on its own, open the lid. Check if the rajma is cooked completely by pressing a bean. If they are not cooked completely, then pressure cook again adding some water, if required for some minutes. Heat butter and oil together in a pan. Add cumin seeds and let it crackle and fry. Then add onions and saute till golden brown. Take care not to burn them. Light browning the onion is alright. Add the tomato puree and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add all the spice powders- turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder and a pinch of hing/asafoetida. Stir well. Saute the whole masala mixture till the oil starts leaving the masala. Add the rajma beans to the masala. You can strain the rajma beans and keep the stock aside. Stir and saute for a minute. Add 1.5 cup of stock or a mixture of stock and water to the rajma. Add salt as required. Stir the whole curry mixture. Simmer it without lid for 5-6 minute or more till the curry thickens slightly. The gravy should not be watery. If required mash a few rajma with spoon, this helps to thicken the curry. Continue to simmer till you get a medium consistency. Do stir at intervals. Then add crushed kasuri methi and cream. Stir very well and simmer for a minute. Turn off the heat and serve. SERVING SUGGESTION Serve Rajma masala with jeera rice and naan. You can also relish it with steamed basmati rice or roti.