Rajma chawal ( Kidney Beans With Rice )|| Rajma Masala

rajma recipe | rajma masala | rajma curry | Punjabi rajma recipe with a detailed photo and video recipe. A popular north Indian or Punjabi curry recipe made with kidney beans and Indian spices. Rajma chawal is the staple food of many north Indians. They are best serves with jeera rice.

Being Punjabi rajma chawal is a staple food in my house too. We make it so often that I feel it is the simplest recipe to share. Until one of my friends asked for a Punjabi rajma recipe. Rajma Masala aka Kidney Beans Curry is one of the most common and popular curries made in North India. Kidney beans are cooked with onion, tomatoes, and spices in this flavourful vegetarian curry.

I am sure most people who grew up in North India, would swear by the tastiest combination of rajma chawal. Moreover, North Indian cuisine is not complete without rajma chawal. Go to any part of north India and you will find it. So many varieties of kidney beans are available in India but Jammu special rajma is very tasty I like to use it, specially rajma from a place called Bhaderwa they are very quick to cook also. In Fact, You go to any eating place in Jammu and Kashmir and you will find this mouthwatering combination with special anardana chutney and a spoon full of shudh desi ghee. And for that texture, you need to soak the beans, there are no two ways about it.

How To Make Rajma:

Grate the onions or finely chop them: for that smooth curry, either grate the onions or really finely chop them. Also when you use grated onions, it takes a little longer for them to cook for the raw smell to go away, so have patience while cooking them. A tip Add a little salt while cooking, cooking time will reduce.

Use fresh ginger-garlic paste: again it will make a difference to the final taste of the rajma. You can use readymade paste also, but the aroma of fresh ginger and garlic enhances the taste of the rajma for sure.

Cook tomatoes for a longer time: do not rush this step. After you add the tomato puree, cook the tomatoes in total for around 15 minutes on medium heat. Then add the kidney beans to the pan. My Grandma used to soak all the masalas including garam masala in pureed tomatoes for 10-15 min. Before added to the onion. In this process, the dry masala swelled up with the puree and gives excellent taste and texture to the beans. 

Simmer on low heat: so after you add the boiled kidney beans to the pan, lower the heat and let the curry simmer for 20 minutes, at the very minimum. If you have time, add an additional 10 minutes. I make rajma in a slow cooker most of the time especially the roasting and cooking part it gives the perfect aroma and the creamy texture. you can also use an instant cooker for this with the slow cooking mode. This simmering on low heat helps in developing the flavors and the curry tastes so much better.

Mash some of the rajma to thicken the curry: while the rajma is simmering, take a spoon (or potato masher) and mash some of the kidney beans (not all) with the back of your spoon. When you are m making rajma for a party. At home, Mukund loves little gravy in the rajma curry so I leave it little runny. However, for parties mashing rajma do wonders, this thickens the curry, gives it a texture, and makes it creamier.

Touch of ghee at the end: I love adding a tablespoon of ghee at the end to my rajma. It really brings the flavors together. This I started after we got posted to Srinagar, Jammu Kashmir rajma curry is famous all around the world. The taste and aroma of the rajma curry are fabulous and the secret behind this is a special Kashmiri masala and a dollop of ghee. 

Tastes even better the next day: curries like rajma and chole taste even better the next day. The beans absorb the flavors so well overnight and so the taste increases the next day.

Finally, This time we are observing a cold wave in the month of March, the weather is fooling us by giving surprises but extended winters are always welcome. Although I feel bad about all those farmers who are facing losses because of this sudden disturbance. Coming back to the point, winters are incomplete without Sarson ka saag & makai ki roti, rajma chawal, hot tahire ( vegetable pulav), biryani’s, and gajar ka halwa etc.ect. .Unlimited combinations like these are available. We will go about it one by one…

Types of equipment I have used to make rajma chawal:

• Mini mixer– My Mini Mixer from Wonderchef is an extremely handy tool for day to day use. I use this mixer for almost all my cooking and it never fails me.
• Pressure cooker– Pressure cooker is essential equipment to fasten the cooking time especially for hard grains like chana, rajma, and other lintels. I use an electric pressure cooker for this cooker is very fast and handy too.
• Kadhai or Wok- Kadai is another extremely useful tool for cooking masalas, for frying, and for cooking vegetables. I like to use a Non-Stick Kadai or a Ceramic Coated Kadai to reduce the oil quantity in the food.

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