Rajma Masala, the culinary gem of North India especially that falls under the Punjabi cuisine, is liked by most as the recipe calls for various nutritional ingredients apart from the protein-rich kidney beans. Cooking Rajma Masala requires patience as time and correct measurement of a variety of ingredients are allowed in the curry to get the right consistency and a perfect balance of taste and spices. There are a lot of variety in Rajmas. I always prefer the red colored large beans as the color of it makes the gravy rich and gives a good texture. Whatever variety, if cooked in a prefect way, makes the Rajma Masala wonderfully tasty. Try this recipe of Rajma Masala with fresh fragrances, filling up your kitchen with a warming aroma and when tasted, lingers in your mouth for quite sometime.
1. Rajma (kidney beans) - 500 grams
2. Onions - 3 nos.
3. Tomatoes - 4 nos.
4. Ginger and garlic paste - 2 tbsp.
5. Garam Masala - 1 tbsp. (Adding little garam masala in addition to the Rajma Masala makes a huge difference as a lot of ingredients are added in the garam masala apart from Rajma Masala ingredients).
6. Oil - 5 tbsp.
7. Salt to taste
For Rajma Masala Powder:
1. Red Dry chillies (or Chilly powder - 1 tbsp.) - 3 nos.
2. Coriander seeds (or Coriander powder - 2 tsp.) - 2 tbsp.
3. Cloves/laung - 4 nos.
4. Cinnamon/dalchini - a small piece
5. Pomegranate powder/anardana powder - 2 tsp.
6. Dried mango powder (amchur powder) - 1 tsp.
7. Dried fenugreek leaves/Kasoori Methi - 1 tbsp.
8. Nutmeg powder/Jaiphal - 1 tsp.
9. Dried mint powder/dry pudina - 1 tsp.
10. Pepper - 1 tsp.
11. Black cumin seeds (shahi Zeera) - 1 tsp.
12. Mace/javitri - 1 small piece
13. Bay leaf/tej patta)- 4 nos.
14. Black salt - 1 tsp.
15. Dry ginger powder/Saunth - 1/2 tsp. (optional)
15. Dry ginger powder/Saunth - 1/2 tsp. (optional)
Cooking Method:
1. Wash the kidney beans and soak them in water overnight. Next morning, the beans would have doubled its size. Do not discard the water, in which the Rajma was soaked. This is the only catch here, to retain the colour and gravy component of the Rajma Masala.
2. Pressure cook the rajma in the same water, in which it was soaked overnight, adding bay leaf/tej patta (2 nos.) and salt for around 6 whistles and keep the flame low till half an hour.
3. While the Rajmas are getting cooked in another stove, boil the whole tomatoes in the water for around 10 minutes. Once chill, peel the skin and puree the tomatoes, keeping them aside. Finally chop onions too and grind it into a paste.
4. While the beans is cooked completely, separate the beans from water, keeping the water aside for later use.
5. Heat oil in a pan, add onions followed by ginger garlic paste. Cook this in a low flame without the ingredients getting burnt. Add pureed tomatoes and cook until the oil leaves the sides of the pan adding little salt only for the ginger- garlic-onion combo (salt already added while cooking beans in the pressure cooker)
6. Add the cooked beans along with 2 to 3 tbsp. of Rajma Masala in the pan and saute until the beans absorbs the spice flavors keeping the flame low for around 5 to 8 minutes.
7. Now add the water, which was retained from the pressure cooked Rajmas and cook the gravy for around 15 minutes in a low flame until the exact consistency is obtained.
8. Serve the Rajma Masala with steamed rice or any flavoured rice, or any Indian Breads.
Note:
1. Dry ginger is more hot when compared to the fresh ones. So depending upon the weather, you can use this ingredient. Use dry ginger during cold seasons and avoid during hot seasons.
2. Rajmas or Kidney beans does not require much water to get cooked. So cook in the same water, in which it was soaked. Otherwise beans and water will be separated, and the gravy consistency will not be achieved.
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