Rajma Chawal
- cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
- oil - 2 tbsp
- rajma/red kidney beans - 1 cup
- bay leaf - 1
- cinnamom - 1 inch pieces
- green cardamom - 1
- cloves - 2
- onion - 2 large
- tomatoes - 2 large
- green chilli - 2
- hing/asafoetida - a pinch
- ginger-garlic paste - 1/2 tbsp
- red chilli powder - 1 1/2 tsp
- coriander seeds powder - 1/2 tsp
- turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
- garam masala - 1 tsp
- amchur/dried mango powder - 1 tsp
- roasted cumin powder - 1 tsp
- crushed kasoori methi/dried fenugreek leaves - 1/2
- salt - to taste
- chopped coriander leaves - 2 tbsp
- Carbohydrate 0 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 0 g
- Saturated Fat 0 g
- Serving Size 1 1 -4 (0g)
- Sodium 51.6773333333333 mg
- Sugar 0 g
- Trans Fat 0 g
- Calories 0 calories
Step-by-step
- Soak rajma(red kidney beans) in ample of water for 8-10 hours or over night. Drain and and pressure cook with bayleaf, cloves, cardamom, cinnamom, 1/2 tsp salt and 2-3 cups of water (rajma should be totall immerse in water)for 4-5 whistles, once presure released discard all the garam masala and keep the water.
- Meanwhile finely chop onion, toamtoes, chilli, coriander leaves.
- In a pan or wok heat oil add hing, cumin and allow to crack. Add onion, chilli, ginger-garlic paste and saute until onion becomes soft.
- Add chilli, turmeric, coriander powders and mix well, saute for a minute while stirring.
- Now add tomatoes and stir, cover and cook until tomato gets mashed, stir in intervals.
- Add cooked rajma and saute for a minute. Now add the rajma cooked water and bring it to good boil cover and simmer for 10 mintues in medium flame.
- Add salt, crushed kasoori methi, amchur powder, cumin powder, garam masala powder and stir to mix well. Simmer in slow flame for another 5 minutes or until gravy becomes thick. Garnish with coriander leaves and off flame. Serve warm with steamed rice, jeera rice or roti/paratha. And sending this to Siri's My Legume Love Affair 62 a event started by Lisa and Susan.
Dried legumes require an eight-hour hydration window before cooking can even begin, turning a simple meal into an exercise in foresight. Soaking red kidney beans allows water molecules to penetrate the seed coat fully, softening the dense cellular structure so heat can gelatinize starches evenly during pressure cooking. When whole spices like cinnamon, green cardamom, cloves, and bay leaf join the beans inside the cooker, their volatile aromatic compounds infuse the interior moisture under high pressure. Discarding those whole spices after the initial pressure release prevents bitterness from overwhelming the delicate bean flavors while retaining the aromatic oils already transferred to the cooking water. As finely chopped onions meet hot oil alongside asafoetida and cumin seeds, moisture evaporates rapidly through the cell walls, allowing Maillard reactions to develop deep savory notes before the ground turmeric and chili powders are introduced. Introducing ground spices directly into the hot fat for precisely one minute blooms their fat-soluble pigments and flavor compounds without burning the delicate powders. Crushed dried fenugreek leaves and amchur powder added near the end of the simmer introduce contrasting bitter and acidic elements that balance the heavy starchiness of the legume base. Pair this thick, spiced stew with plain steamed basmati rice or cumin-scented jeera rice, as the neutral starches absorb the aromatic curry sauce while providing a clean textural contrast to the tender beans.
