Masala & Flame
All recipes
Rajma
Curry

Rajma

Rajma chawal — kidney bean curry on rice — is the dish most North Indians associate with Sunday lunch at home. The beans are pressure-cooked until completely soft, then simmered in a masala that builds from nothing: just onion, tomato, whole spices and patience. It improves overnight.

1 hrServes 4 medium

Method

  1. Drain the soaked rajma. Pressure-cook in 1 litre of fresh water with salt until completely soft — about 6 whistles. If the beans are still firm after 6 whistles, add a few ice cubes and cook for 2–3 more.
  2. Grind the cloves, cardamoms, cinnamon and cumin to a fine powder to make the special garam masala. Set aside.
  3. Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds, bay leaves and the slit green chillies. Let them splutter.
  4. Add the chopped onions and cook until translucent, then add the ginger-garlic and cook for 3 more minutes .
  5. Add the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes , stirring. Add the coriander powder, cumin powder, chilli powder, turmeric and rajma masala (if using). Cook until the oil separates from the masala.
  6. Add the boiled rajma along with its cooking liquid. Stir in the homemade garam masala and half a teaspoon of regular garam masala. Bring to a boil and pressure-cook for one more whistle to marry the flavours.
  7. After releasing the pressure, stir, scatter green chillies and coriander leaves over the top. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Cook's note. Rajma chawal is always better the next day — the beans absorb the masala overnight. Make a double batch.

The story

Kidney beans arrived in India from the Americas via the Portuguese trading routes, probably in the 17th century, and were quickly adopted into the Punjabi and Kashmiri kitchen. Rajma chawal became the definitive North Indian comfort meal — the Indian equivalent of steak and chips or mac and cheese — with every family having its own version of the masala balance.