Rajma
Ingredients:
- 1 cup Rajma (red kidney beans), about 200 grams rajma, soaked overnight
- 1 Green chili, chopped (hari mirch)
- 1 tbsp Chopped garlic ,optional
- 1 tsp Chopped ginger
- 2 Medium Tomatoes, chopped
- 2 Onion, Chopped
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder (haldi)
- 1/2 tsp Red chili powder (lal mirch powder)
- 1/2 tsp Garam masala powder
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds (jeera)
- 1 tsp Coriander powder
- 1/4 tsp Hing
- 2 tbsp Butter or oil
- 2 Black Cardamom
- Salt to taste
- 2.5 cups water for pressure cooking
Method:
- Rinse the rajma beans for a couple of times in running water and soak them in enough water overnight or for 8 to 9 hours.
- Rinse the rajma beans again in fresh clean water. Drain them and keep aside.
- Chop the veggies - onion, tomatoes, ginger, garlic and green chilies. keep aside.
- In a pressure cooker add the rajma along with the Cardamom, salt and green chilli and enough water.
- Cover tightly and pressure cook on a high flame.
- Check the beans for softness, if they are not soft, cook them more for 2 whistles (if required add more water).
- Drain excess water from cooked beans and keep both water and Rajma aside for later use.
- Heat oil in a pan (or kadai) over medium flame. When oil is medium hot, add cumin seeds, Hing and saute for 30 seconds.
- Add chopped onion and saute until onion turns translucent. Add ginger and garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes.
- Add chopped tomato and cook until soft.
- Add red chilli powder, haldi powder, salt, coriander powder and garam masala powder.
- Mix well and saute for a minute.
- Add boiled kidney beans and mix well.
- Add 1-cup water and mix well. Mash some beans with the backside of a spoon to thicken the gravy and improve taste and texture.
- Cook for 5-6 minutes or until gravy turns thick.
- Gravy would thicken more as it cools down, so do not cook it until it turns very thick. Taste for the salt at this stage and add more if required.
- Garnish it with coriander leaves.
- Serve rajma curry with some steamed rice or with chapatis, parathas or bread. you can also serve rajma curry with jeera rice or garam masala rice or saffron rice.