Rajma recipe is one of the North Indian delicacies that does not only compliment your taste buds but also fetch you all the credits for serving a hearty meal to your guests. This mouthwatering dish is mainly made of kidney beans, tomatoes, onions with different kinds of spices and herbs. It could be served with both rotis and steamed rice. Here is the recipe of one of the most popular dishes from the entire spectrum of Indian cuisine that is a must-try for anyone interested in cooking and eating good food.
What is rajma masala?
Rajma masala is a highly nutritious vegetarian and gluten-free curry that has a dense and creamy texture. Made of red kidney beans, the recipe requires a handful of Indian spices and a base of onion and tomato to establish the curry. The rajma masala recipe tastes so yummy that you can relish it with steamed rice, rotis or naan. The masala being a staple element in all the delicacies coming out of an Indian kitchen, this spicy dish will satiate the foodie in you and put your cravings to rest.
Ingredients needed to make rajma masala
1. Rajma, 1 cup
2. Water, 4 cups
3. Bay leaf, 1 piece
4. Salt, 1 tablespoon
5. Black cardamom, 1 piece
6. Ghee or butter, 1 tablespoon
7. Cumin seeds, 1 tablespoon
8. Cloves, 5 pieces
9. Cinnamon, 1 inch
10. Finely chopped coriander, 2 tablespoons
11. Ginger garlic paste, 1 teaspoon
12. Slit chilly, 1
13. Tomato puree, 2 cups
14. Dry mango powder, 1/2 teaspoon
15. Turmeric powder, ¼ teaspoon
16. Kashmiri red chilly powder, 1 teaspoon
17. Coriander powder, 1 teaspoon
18. Cumin powder, 1/2 teaspoon
19. Garam masala, 1/2 teaspoon
20. Asafoetida, 1 pinch
21. Dried fenugreek leaves, 1 teaspoon
Step by step guide to making rajma masala at home
Step 1: The rajma has to be rinsed and soaked in a lot of water for around eight to 10 hours. For best results, it can be soaked overnight as well. Before cooking, you can prepare the rajma in a pressure cooker for four whistles until they turn tender soft.
Step 2: In a large pan you need to heat one tablespoon of butter or ghee. Add the cumin, cinnamon, and cloves in it, and saute the whole thing for a while.
Step 3: Add onion, ginger garlic paste, chilly and fry it lightly until the onions adopt a golden-brown tinge.
Step 4: Slowly add the tomato puree, stir it well, and cover the mixture to cook it for a few minutes.
Step 5: Once the oil starts leaving the mixture, lower the flame and add the turmeric powder, coriander powder, chilly powder, garam masala, dried mango powder, and salt according to your taste.
Step 6: Keep stirring the mixture until the raw aroma of the spices go away and a rich and delicate flavour starts emanating.
Step 7: Once you start getting the desired consistency of the spices, you can add the cooked rajma and continue mixing it.
Step 8: Cover the pan with a lid and let it simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until the gravy thickens.
Step 9: For the final touch, you can add the coriander and fenugreek leaves to your rajma masala and the dish is ready to be served with hot rice or roti.
Tips for preparing rajma masala with rice
If you want to level up your rajma masala, you can add a twist by serving it with steamed rice and offering it as your desi-style rajma chawal. The rest of the procedure to cook the rajma masala is the same, with only the steamed rice being the new addition to the presentation.
For the rice, you would be needing one cup of rice and just a pinch of salt. Wash the rice and place it in a deep-bottom pan with five cups of water and a pinch of salt in it. Once the rice is cooked, strain the water and spread it on a shallow plate to let it cool for a few minutes. Once the plain white rice is ready, serve it on a plate along with the prepared rajma garnished with some onion slices and lemon wedges. Your rajma chawal will be ready to rock each and every starving soul around you!
Recipe variations you can try while preparing rajma masala
Instead of taking the traditional way of cooking your favourite rajma masala, you can also opt for a greener rajma masala that is steeped with flavour as well as nutrients. For this, you need to follow the traditional rajma masala procedure, with just a minor variation where you can add your favourite greens to it. Using palak or spinach would be recommended. Once the rajma is halfway done, you can just add 2 cups of chopped spinach into the curry and let it mix into the gravy developing a thicker consistency. Once the colour of the gravy starts transforming into your favourite shade of green, it means that your palak rajma masala is totally soaked in the flavours of the greens and you can enjoy it with roti or butter naan.
Dos and don’ts while preparing rajma masala
Don’ts:
· Do not use old stock of rajma because they take a long time to cook.
· Do not increase the flame if you want a thick and flavoured rajma as slow cooking is key to getting a thick and tasty rajma masala.
Dos:
· Make sure to use a generous amount of garam masala and ginger to enhance the flavour of your rajma masala as well as aid your digestion.
· Instead of using butter, you can use ghee, as it brings out the best aroma and taste of the rajma masala recipe.
Conclusion
Rajma chawal or rajma masala is one of the favourite combos that is preferred by a maximum number of North Indian households amongst other treats like Dal Makhani and Chana masala, which are part of the regular menus of the restaurants as well. But Rajma chawal is the best way to spice up the quintessential lunch or dinner menu. What can be the better way to flatter your taste buds on your lazy weekends or the unexpected arrival of a guest, than cooking up a super yummy rajma chawal or instant pot rajma masala?
FAQs
· Boiling the onions before adding them to the rajma masala can remove the raw flavour.
· You can also use canned kidney beans if you do not have ready rajma at hand.
You can add two tablespoons of blended rajma to make the gravy thicker.