Craving for an authentic rajma recipe?
Yes! You are at the right place. This rajma masala is very easy to make with basic ingredient. Not to forget, it makes a delicious, comforting, and healthy meal when served with rice and it’s called rajma chawal.
For me, the key to good Rajma is perfectly cooked beans that just melt in your mouth.
It is one of our favorite recipes and a regular on weekend lunch or brunch menu alternating with Chole or Masala Dosa.
Table of Contents
WHAT IS RAJMA (Kidney Beans)?
Rajma is a tasty curry dish from North India made with red kidney beans. These beans are cooked in a yummy mix of onions and tomatoes, called masala. People often call it Rajma masala or just Rajma.
Lots of North Indians have been enjoying Rajma as a regular part of their meals. Now, it’s loved all around the world. This recipe is gluten-free and vegetarian, and you can easily make it vegan.
Kidney beans are not only delicious but also packed with protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. So, it’s a super nutritious and healthy comfort food.
That’s why people cook it for everyday meals and special occasions, both at home and in restaurants.
TYPES OF RAJMA
In the market, you can find three main types of rajma (kidney beans).
Chitra Rajma
This one is well-liked in India and has a light brown skin with dark speckles.
Large Red Kidney Beans
In the USA, you can find light and dark kidney beans. I prefer using the lighter ones for curry because they cook faster, but either of the two will do.
Small Red Kidney Beans
These are used to make Kashmiri rajma, which is a different recipe. I’ll share that recipe with you sometime soon.
Ingredients
- Rajma (chitra) – 1¼ cup
- Oil – ⅓ cup
- Bayleaf – 1no
- Black cardamom – 1no
- Cumin – 2tsp
- Onion grated/puree – 1cup
- Green chillies chopped – 1no
- Ginger paste – 1tbsp
- Garlic paste – 1tbsp
- Kashmiri chilli powder – 1tbsp
- Turmeric – ½ tsp
- Coriander powder – 1tbsp
- Tomato grated/puree – 2cups
- Salt
- Kasoori methi powder – ½ tsp
- Garam masala – ¼ tsp
- Water – 5cups approx
Step by Step METHOD
Step 1.
Wash and soak rajma overnight or at least 4 hours. Heat oil in a pan, add bay. Leaf, black cardamom and cumin. Add onions and cook them till light brown. Add green chilli, ginger and garlic paste. Saute for 3mins and then add turmeric, chilli powder and coriander powder.
Step 2.
Stir for few seconds. Add tomatoes and some salt. Cook the masala till it leaves the oil. Now add the drained rajma along with some more salt. Cook the rajma for 10-12 minutes this way and then add water.
Step 3.
Bring to a boil and cover and cook in a cooker. Cook till it gives out at least 3 whistles. Turn off the heat and let it sit in there for another 10-15mins.
Step 4.
Open the lid. Put in some water to make the “Tari” the right thickness. Heat it up and let it simmer for 5 minutes. While it’s cooking, mix in kasoori methi powder and garam masala. Taste it to make sure it’s seasoned well.
Then, take it off the heat and serve. Creamy, delicious Rajma masala is ready!!
Serving Suggestion
In North India, people often eat Rajma with rice, and it’s popularly called Rajma Chawal, where “chawal” means rice.
We enjoy it with cumin rice, but you can also serve this kidney beans curry with regular rice, brown rice, or quinoa.
The curry is thick, so you can also pair it with Indian flatbreads like chapati or naan.
A side salad with onions is a must, so consider adding a kachumber or pickled onions (Sirke Wale Pyaaz).
Rajma Tips and Tricks
Beans texture
Cooking with fresh beans is better than using canned ones because they have a richer flavor. Soak the beans and pressure cook them to achieve the desired soft and melt-in-your-mouth texture, avoiding the al dente consistency.
Choose lighter large kidney beans as they cook more quickly. Additionally, it’s preferable to use new beans instead of old ones, as old beans take longer to cook.
The tomato onion masala
- For the best taste, use fresh ingredients.
- To make the gravy smoother, chop the onions very finely using a food processor and cook them until they are soft and brown. I don’t like to turn the onions into a puree.
- For ginger and garlic, I like to make a fresh paste.
- Tomatoes are important in rajma, so I prefer to use a mix of fresh tomato puree and tomato paste. You can also use store-bought puree if you don’t have fresh ones.
- The paste not only adds flavor but also gives a nice color to the dish. You can skip it if you don’t have it.
- Cook the onion-tomato mixture until the oil comes out (known as the bhuna method) for the best flavor. No shortcuts here.
- If you want to make it gluten-free, skip the hing (asafoetida).
Curry
- Cook the kidney beans curry on low heat for a while; the longer, the better because the flavors mix and taste great.
- Smash some beans and put them in the curry to make it thicker.
- The curry will get thicker as it cooks, so adjust it to how you like.
- The leftovers taste even better the next day as the flavor gets stronger. Keep it covered in the fridge for 3-4 days.
