Rajma chawal recipe – rajma gravy is made from red kidney beans with onion-tomato gravy. It is best served with plain steamed rice aka chawal. So together it is called rajma chawal, a best and comforting combo.
I am sharing the quick version of rajma chawal made in pressure cooker only similar to this chole recipe. In this recipe, onion-tomato are ground into the paste. Then sauteed into the pressure cooker along with spices. Then soaked rajma and water it added. The whole thing is pressure cooked and you will have rajma gravy ready.
While the rajma is cooking, we are also cooking rice simultaneously. So rajma curry and chawal will be ready at the same time.
Only you need to pre-plan and soak the rajma ahead of time. At the time of making dinner or lunch, follow the steps below, you will have rajma chawal both ready in only 45 minutes.
This rajma chawal is healthy yet delicious meal that is very easy to make. It is great to pack into lunch box for kids or adult’s. I do make it for hubby’s lunch box occasionally.
Check out more recipes using rajma
Punjabi rajma // Rajma curry with curd
How to make rajma chawal recipe (Step by Step Photos):
1) First take rajma beans and wash them under running cold water till water runs clear.
2) Soak them in enough water for at least 8 hours or overnight. They will get bigger in size after the soaking time. Then drain soaked rajma and discard the soaking water.
3) When ready to make dinner/meal, first wash the basmati rice under running cold water till water runs clear.
4) Soak them in enough water for 15-20 minutes.
5) While rice is soaking, let’s prepare the rajma. Roughly chop onion, ginger, garlic, green chili and tomatoes.
6) Take them into the blender or grinder. Make smooth paste out of it. Keep it aside.
7) Heat the oil in a pressure cooker. Once hot add cumin seeds and let them sizzle.
8) Then add prepared paste.
9) As it starts cooking, it may bubble or splutter a lot, that you can partially cover it and continue cooking.
10) Cook till all the moisture or liquid is evaporated and you will have thick paste. Oil may starts to ooze out from the sides.
11) Now add salt, red chili powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder.
12) Mix well and cook for a minute.
13) Now add soaked, drained rajma.
14) Also add fresh 1 ¾ cups of water.
15) Mix well, so water and paste is well combined.
16) Cover the cooker with lid, put the weight on. Cook for 5-6 whistles on medium heat. After that turn off the stove heat, let the pressure go down by itself.
17) While it is pressure cooking, let’s make the rice. Now drain the soaked rice, take that into the saucepan or patila. Add 2 cups of water, salt and lemon juice. Bring it to a boil on high heat.
18) Once it starts boiling, lower the heat to lowest possible, cover with lid. Cook covered without disturbing on LOW heat for 17-18 minutes. Then turn off the stove and let the rice rest for 10 minutes.
19) Now pressure has been released from the cooker. Open the lid.
20) Stir once and check the doneness of rajma beans. If should mash easily. If not cooked, you can again pressure cook it for some more time. Also check the gravy consistency. If it is too liquidy then let it simmer for few minutes till you get desired consistency. If it is too thick, then add splash of water and simmer for 2 minutes.
21) Now add amchur powder and garam masala.
22) Stir well.
23) Lastly add chopped coriander leaves.
24) Mix well and rajma is ready.
25) Now back to the rice, after 10 minutes resting time, open the lid.
26) Fluff up the rice using fork.
Serving suggestion: Enjoy rajma chawal as a dinner or meal. I like to serve roasted urad papad, pickle or onion laccha and chaas on side. It will make filling, healthy and complete meal. This rajma curry can be served with roti or paratha too and skip the rice making steps.
Rajma chawal recipe
Ingredients
For Making rice (Chawal):
- 1 cup Basmati rice
- 2 cups Water
- Salt to taste
- 1 teaspoon Lemon juice
For rajma masala:
- - Grind into paste:
- 1 medium or 1 cup Onion roughly chopped
- 1 inch piece Ginger roughly chopped
- 2 cloves Garlic chopped
- 1 Green chili chopped
- 2 small or 1 cup Tomato roughly chopped
- - for gravy:
- 1 cup Rajma (Red kidney beans)
- 2 tablespoons Oil
- ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds
- Salt to taste
- 1 ½ teaspoons Red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
- 1 ¾ cups Water
- ½ teaspoon Amchur powder (dried mango powder)
- ½ teaspoon Garam masala
- 2 tablespoons Cilantro or coriander leaves finely chopped
Instructions
Preparation:
- First take rajma beans and wash them under running cold water till water runs clear.
- Soak them in enough water for at least 8 hours or overnight.
- Then drain soaked rajma and discard the soaking water.
- When ready to make dinner/meal, first wash the basmati rice under running cold water till water runs clear.
- Soak them in enough water for 15-20 minutes.
- While rice is soaking, let’s prepare the rajma. Roughly chop onion, ginger, garlic, green chili and tomatoes.
- Take them into the blender or grinder. Make smooth paste out of it. Keep it aside.
making rajma chawal recipe:
- Heat the oil in a pressure cooker. Once hot add cumin seeds and let them sizzle.
- Then add prepared paste.
- As it starts cooking, it may bubble or splutter a lot, that you can partially cover it and continue cooking.
- Cook till all the moisture or liquid is evaporated and you will have thick paste. Oil may starts to ooze out from the sides.
- Now add salt, red chili powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder. Mix well and cook for a minute.
- Now add soaked, drained rajma. Also add fresh 1 ¾ cups of water.
- Mix well, so water and paste is well combined.
- Cover the cooker with lid, put the weight on.
- Cook for 5-6 whistles on medium heat.
- After that turn off the stove heat, let the pressure go down by itself.
- While it is pressure cooking, let’s make the rice.
- Now drain the soaked rice, take that into the saucepan or patila. Add 2 cups of water, salt and lemon juice. Bring it to a boil on high heat.
- Once it starts boiling, lower the heat to lowest possible, cover with lid.
- Cook covered without disturbing on LOW heat for 17-18 minutes.
- Then turn off the stove and let the rice rest for 10 minutes.
- Now pressure has been released from the cooker. Open the lid.
- Stir once and check the doneness of rajma beans. If should mash easily. If not cooked, you can again pressure cook it for some more time.
- Also check the gravy consistency. If it is too liquidy then let it simmer for few minutes till you get desired consistency. If it is too thick, then add splash of water and simmer for 2 minutes.
- Now add amchur powder and garam masala. Stir well.
- Lastly add chopped coriander leaves. Mix well and rajma is ready.
- Now back to the rice, after 10 minutes resting time, open the lid. Fluff up the rice using fork.
- Serve rajma chawal as a meal or dinner
Sujana
I made this last night and it came out fantastic. I liked this version of making the rajma because is easier and tastes so good!
Kanan
Thank you Sujana for the review.
Good to hear that you liked it
Nirav
Looks tempting and very easy to make. thanks for sharing.
Kanan
You’re welcome