Chef’s Nectar, “ Punjabi Rajma Masala” delicious !!

This is a lightly spiced, creamy and a delicious Punjabi curry made with kidney beans, onions, tomatoes and spices. This is my grand mother way of making this famous and truly Punjabi rajma masala. Which will leave you speechless about it’s fabulous taste.

Ingredients for making Rajma Masala

for pressure cooking rajma

• 1 cup rajma (kidney beans) – any variety best is chitra
• 3.5 to 4 cups water for pressure cooking
• enough water for soaking rajma

for rajma masala curry

• 150 grams onions finely chopped onions
• 250 grams tomatoes finely chopped
• 3 to 4 medium garlic,
• 1 inch ginger
• 1 to 2 green chilies
• 5 gms ginger garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder(ground coriander)
• ¼ to ½ teaspoon red chili powderor cayenne pepper or hot paprika
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder(ground turmeric)
• 1 pinch asafoetida (hing) – optional
• ¼ to ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon crushed kasuri methi(dry fenugreek leaves)
• 2 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil or 3 tablespoon butter
• 2 to 3 tablespoon cream
• 1.5 to 2 cups of rajma stock (the water which is used to cook the rajma) or plain water for the curry
• salt to taste

Method of making Rajma

soaking and pressure cooking rajma

• Rinse and soak the rajma or kidney beans in enough water overnight or for 8-9 hours.
• Next day, discard the water and rinse the beans again in fresh water.
• In a pressure cooker, take both the rajma and 4 cups water.
• Pressure cook on a medium to high flame for 15 to 20 minutes.
• When the rajma is cooking, you can chop the onions and tomatoes.
• When the pressure settles down on its own, open the lid,
• Check if the rajma is cooked or not by taking a bite or pressing a bean.
• If the rajma are not cooked completely, then pressure cook again adding some water if required for some minutes.

Cooking of Rajma

• Heat oil and butter in another pot or pan. Add cumin first and let them crackle & get browned.
• Then add onions and saute them till they caramelized or golden browned.
• Keep on stirring the onions while sauteing them, for uniform cooking and also so that they don’t get burnt.
• Add the ginger-garlic-chili paste. Stir and saute for 5-10 seconds on a low flame.
• Add the tomatoes. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes till the tomatoes become soft.
• Add all the spice powders one by one – turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, asafoetida (hing) and garam masala powder.
• Stir and saute the whole masala mixture till the fat starts leaving the masala.
• Use a slotted spoon or a strainer and remove the beans and add them to the masala.
• You can also strain the rajma first and keep it aside.
• Keep the stock also aside. Stir and saute for a minute.

Cooking of rajma curry

• Take 1.5 to 2 cups from the stock and add to the rajma.
• Add salt and stir the whole curry mixture.
• Simmer without a lid for 10-12 minutes or more till the curry thickens slightly.
• Mash a few rajma beans with the spoon. This helps to thicken the curry.
• When the rajma masala has thickened and comes to the right consistency which is neither too thick nor thin, then add the kasuri methi and cream.
• Stir & simmer for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Switch off the fire.
• Serve rajma masala hot garnished with chopped coriander, accompanied with steamed basmati rice, jeera rice or naan. You can have the salad of your choice, this is very healthy and full of proteins. Enjoy this simple but exotic recipe when ever you wish to have.
• Their are so many different varieties of this splendid beans, you choose the right one as per your preferences.