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Great Recipes With Whole Ingredients

Red Beans Rajma Curry 

Rajma Dish Recipe

Rajma, a beloved North Indian dish, is a wholesome and heartwarming meal, perfect for any day of the week. This Rajma Dish Recipe brings to life the rich flavors of kidney beans simmered in a thick, spiced tomato gravy. Infused with aromatic spices like cumin, coriander, and garam masala, each bite offers a delightful blend of taste and comfort.

 Main Dishes,   Spiced  Pumpkin Coconut Soup 

  • Servings 3
  • Prep 20 min
  • Cooking 1 hr. or 3-4 hrs.

Ingredients Rajma Dish Recipe

  •  350 grams of dried red kidney beans 
  • 1.5 liters of water or 1.25 liters if pressure-cooked
  • One bay leaf 
  • ⅓ tsp. of turmeric ¼ powder 
  • One tbsp. of cayenne pepper or paprika 
  • 2½ tbsp. of butter or ghee 
  • One tbsp. of coriander seeds  
  • ½ tsp. cumin seeds 
  • ⅓ tsp. fennel seeds 
  • One tbsp. of garam masala.
  • Two green cardamom pods
  • Half of a cinnamon stick
  • 2–3 tbsp. of finely shredded or minced fresh ginger root
  • Half a cup of water 
  •  One tbsp. of salt
  • Three tbsp. of fresh lemon or lime juice
  • Three cloves of garlic
  • Two onions
  •  Four medium-sized firm ripe tomatoes, diced
  •  2 cups of tomato sauce or 1 cup of tomato paste 
  •  ¼ cup of chopped fresh parsley or coriander 

Preparation

  1. Pre-soak beans in four cups of water for at least 5 hours or overnight, then drain and rinse the beans.
  2. Add 1.5 liters of cold water and the beans to a saucepan. 
  3. Bring beans to a boil, cover with a lead, and simmer over low heat for 2½–3 hours or until the beans are soft.
  4. For pressure cooking, cook under pressure for 50 minutes. Let the pressure drop and uncover.
  5. Combine the coriander, cumin, fennel seeds, cinnamon, and cardamom seeds in an electric grinder or a stone mortar and grind the spices into a powder. Transfer to a small bowl. 
  6.  Place ginger root, garlic, onion, and ½ cup of water in a blender, cover, and blend at high speed. Pour it into the powdered spices, add the turmeric, salt, and tomato paste, water, and stir into a paste.
  7. Preheat a large frying pan or saucepan on medium heat and add ghee or oil.
  8. Pour the spice paste into the ghee or oil and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes. 
  9. Add tomatoes and cook until they become soft . 
  10.  Add the whole cooked beans, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for about 15 minutes. 
  11. Add chopped fresh parsley or coriander and lime or lemon juice before serving.

Tips

  • Use Fresh Spices: Freshly ground spices enhance the flavor. 
  • Sauté Onions and Tomatoes Well: Cook the onions until golden brown and the tomatoes until soft and mushy. This forms the base of your gravy.
  • Use a Pressure Cooker: Cooking rajma in a pressure cooker saves time and ensures the beans are perfectly soft.
  • Season Correctly: Add salt towards the end of cooking to adjust the taste.
  • Simmer to Blend Flavors: After the rajma is cooked, let it simmer for a few minutes. This helps in blending the flavors well.
  • Garnish with Fresh Coriander: Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves for an aromatic touch before serving.
  • Serve Hot: Rajma tastes best when served hot, ideally with steamed rice or naan.
  • Remember, the key to an excellent rajma dish lies in its simmering time, which allows the flavors to meld beautifully!
  • Add lemon juice: At the end of Rajma’s preparation, add three tbsp. of lemon juice to remove the bitterness of spices in the dish.