Rajma Masala (Kidney Beans Curry)
Rajma masala is a saucy, tangy, and flavorful dish. Prepared with boiled kidney beans and then cooked with onions, tomatoes, and various spices.
Ingredients
- 1 cup kidney beans
- 1 tbsp oil
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- ¼ tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- ¼ tsp red chili powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 onion chopped/grated
- 2 tomato puree
- water
Instructions
- Take the kidney beans in a bowl and rinse them in clean water. Soak them for atleat 5 to 6 hours or overnight.
- Before boiling, drain the water and add them to the pressure cooker with ½ salt & enough water to cover them on medium heat.
- Now wait for 4 to 5 whistles or until the rajma boiled or soft.
- Remove the boiled rajma from pressure cooker.
- Heat some oil in a kadai with cumin seeds and bay leaves.
- Add grated onion and saute them till golden.
- Now saute tomato puree with spices: turmeric powder, red chili powder, garam masala, coriander powder, and salt.
- When they are all sauted properly, add boiled kidney beans to it with 2 cups of water.
- Cover the kadai with steamer and cook till it has thick in textute.
- Stir at intervals with a spoon.
- When the rajma has become a thick curry again add a pinch of garam masala and mix well.
- Turn off the flame the rajma masala is ready to serve.
Notes
- I prefer to use dark red kidney beans for my rajma. If you use canned beans, it is also good. But red kidney beans taste delicious rather than canned rajma.
- Soak the rajma overnight for fast cooking. If you forget, then soak it in hot water for 2 hours. I recommend soaking them for at least 8 hours, which is necessary.
- You can also store the boiled rajma water and use it later when you cook them. This water helps give the dish a darker color.