Punjabi Rajma Masala
Punjabi rajma recipe - this is a healthy, delicious, comforting meal served with rice. Here red kidney beans are simmered in onion tomato gravy.
Servings 2
Calories 405kcal
Ingredients
- ¾ cups Rajma (Red kidney beans) Dry, uncooked
- 2 ½ cups Water for pressure cooking
- 2 tablespoons Oil
- 1 Bay leaf
- 1 small or ½ cup Red onion chopped finely or food processed
- 1 teaspoon Ginger paste or freshly grated or crushed
- 1 teaspoon Garlic paste or freshly grated
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons Red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon Cumin powder
- 2 medium or 1 cup Tomato pureed
- ½ teaspoon Garam masala
- ¼ teaspoon Amchur powder (dried mango powder)
- Salt to taste
Instructions
Soaking & Boiling Kidney Beans:
- Wash the rajma under running cold water until the water runs clear. Or rinse them with tap water 2-3 times or until the water is not cloudy anymore.
- Soak in enough water for at least 8 hours or overnight. Discard the soaking water.
- Take soaked beans along with fresh water in the pressure cooker (or instant pot).Pressure cooker: 1 whistle on High heat then reduce to Low and cook for 10 minutes.Instant pot: Manual (high pressure) for 8 minutes.
- NOTE: The cooked rajma should be soft and mashed easily when pressed between finger and thumb. Some of them may open up and those will help in making thick gravy.
Making Rajma Masala:
- Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot add bay leaf and saute for 30 seconds.
- Then add chopped onions and sprinkle some salt to speed up the cooking process. Cook the onions until they are light brown in color.
- Add ginger and garlic paste. Saute for a minute or until the raw smell of ginger-garlic goes away.
- Add tomato puree, mix well and let it cook. Cook until all the moisture evaporates and oil starts to leave the sides of the pan. Do stir in between to make sure that it is not sticking to the pan.
- Add spice powders (Turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder and cumin powder, garam masala, amchur). Mix well and cook for a minute.
- Then add Boiled rajma along with its water. To get more thick gravy, mash few rajma with the back of the spoon or spatula.
- Mix well and let it simmer on low for 10-15 minutes. Check the salt and other spices. If gravy is too thick then add some water and bring it to a boil. If gravy to too thin and watery then let it simmer for few more minutes or until you get your desire gravy consistency.
Notes
Forgot to soak the beans? Here’s Quick Soaking Method: Take beans and plenty of water in a pan. Bring the water to a rolling boil. Let it boil for 2-3 minutes. Then turn off the stove and cover tightly with a lid. Let it sit for 1 hour. Voila, after 1 hour your beans are at the same stage where you have after overnight soaking.
Using canned kidney beans: Please use 1 can (15 oz) of kidney beans but skip the soaking and boiling steps. So you’ll just have to make onion-tomato gravy, add canned beans and simmer.
Make the gravy thick (not watery): There are few things you can keep in mind while making rajma recipe to make the thick gravy.
- Make sure to chop the onions very finely (don’t keep big chunks). Or you can grate the onions.
- Simmer on LOW for good 10-15 minutes.
- While simmering the gravy mash a few rajma using the back of the spatula which helps in thickening the gravy.
Nutrition
Calories: 405kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 637mg | Potassium: 1256mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1082IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 109mg | Iron: 6mg
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate for 1 serving
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