Rajma Masala Food

RAJMA (KIDNEY BEAN CURRY)

Steps:

• Place the kidney beans into a large container and cover with several inches of cool water; let stand 8 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse.
• Grind the onion, ginger, and garlic into a paste using a mortar and pestle.
• Heat the oil and ghee together in a pressure cooker over medium heat. Fry the red chile peppers, cumin seeds, and whole cloves in the hot oil until the cumin seeds begin to splutter; stir the onion paste into the mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown. Season with the ground turmeric, ground cumin, and ground coriander; continue cooking for a few more seconds before adding the tomatoes. Cook until the tomatoes are completely tender.
• Add the drained kidney beans to the pressure cooker with enough water to cover; pour the 2 cups water additionally to the cooker. Add the sugar and salt. Close the pressure cooker and bring to 15 pounds of pressure; cook about 40 minutes. Lower the heat to low and cook another 10 to 15 minutes. Release the pressure and open the cooker. Stir the garam masala and ground red pepper into the bean mixture; garnish with chopped cilantro to serve.

RAJMA RECIPE (PUNJABI RAJMA MASALA)

Steps:

• Add rajma to a large bowl and rinse them well with water thrice. Drain and soak them in enough water for at least 8 hours and up to 12 hours. Do not cover the bowl while you soak. You may spread a thin cotton cloth so the beans don't turn sticky.
• When you are ready to cook, drain the water and rinse them very well with fresh water at least twice and drain completely.
• Chop the onions finely and puree the tomatoes. Keep them aside.
• Add ghee or oil to a pressure cooker. Heat it on a medium heat.
• When the ghee melts, saute ginger garlic and green chilies for a minute just until it begins to smell good.
• Add the chopped onions and sprinkle salt. Saute until the onions turn golden and about to caramelize.
• Turn off the stove. Now add all the spices - red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala and turmeric.
• Mix everything well and add drained rajma and pour 2 ¼ cups water. Mix everything well and loosen any bits of spices or onions stuck at the bottom of the cooker.
• Cover the pressure cooker and cook on a medium heat until you hear 4 to 6 whistles, depending on the kind of pressure cooker and the age of your rajma.
• While the rajma cooks, pour the tomato puree to a small pot or pan and cook it on a medium heat, for 6 to 7 mins until the raw smell disappears completely. Keep the pan slightly covered to prevent splatters. Keep this aside.
• When the pressure in the cooker drops, open the lid and check. Rajma will be fully cooked. To check mash a rajma, it has to be soft and get mashed very well. It should not have a bite to it. If you think they are undercooked, simply cook for a few more whistles.
• Add the cooked tomato puree to the hot rajma and mix well. If required you may add more hot boiling water to adjust the consistency.
• Bring this to a boil and cook for 3 to 4 mins, until it reaches a desired consistency. Taste test and add more salt and garam masala if required. Crush kasuri methi in your hands and sprinkle it. Stir in the cream (optional).
• Garnish rajma masala with chopped coriander leaves and ginger juliennes.
• Press Saute button and Pour ghee to the steel insert. Add ginger garlic and chilies. Saute for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
• Add onions and salt. Saute for about 5 minutes stirring constantly to cook evenly until golden, about to caramelize.
• Add all the spice powders and press cancel. Stir well. Add rajma and pour 2 cups water. Deglaze to release any bits of food stuck at the bottom.
• Place a trivet and keep the bowl of tomato puree over that. Secure the IP with the lid and pressure cook for 20 mins (for softer beans, if you prefer al dente - 18 mins).
• When the pressure drops, open the IP. Rajma is super soft. Pour the tomato puree and cook for 2 to 3 mins on saute mode. If required pour about ½ to ¾ cup water to bring to runny consistency. Taste test and add more salt, ¼ teaspoon garam masala, cream (optional) and crushed kasuri methi. Press cancel.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and ginger juliennes. Serve rajma with chawal. Drizzle some lemon juice.
• To Cook Rajma in a pot without cooker: Soak 1 cup rajma in water overnight with ¾ teaspoon salt or ¾ teaspoon baking soda. Rinse well. Pour 3 cups water and bring to a rolling boil. Lower the heat & Cook uncovered until tender and soft. Or alternately use 2 - 15 Oz cans, drain the liquid and rinse them well. Rajma should be soft and has to easily get mashed.
• To Pressure Cook: Pour 2 cups water to overnight soaked rajma and pressure cook until soft, for 4 to 5 whistles. Or in the instant pot for 18 mins.
• Optional - You may boil the diced onions for 3 to 4 minutes and then puree to a smooth paste in a grinder. For the tomato puree you may add 2 tablespoons cooked rajma for a thicker texture. Both these will give you smooth gravy but are optional.
• Heat ghee in a pan or pot. Saute ginger garlic and green chilli for 1 minute, without burning.
• On a medium heat, saute onions with salt until golden and about to get caramelized, but not burnt. Add the spices - chili powder, garam masala, coriander powder, cumin powder and turmeric.
• Stir well and add tomato puree. Cook on a medium heat stirring constantly until the onion tomato masala thickens and begins to smell aromatic. It should lose the raw flavor of tomatoes.
• Add the rajma along with the stock (rajma cooked water). Pour ¼ to ½ cup more water or as required. Mix well and simmer for 10 to 15 mins, until slightly thick. (If using canned beans, use more water as required to bring it to a consistency).
• Taste test and add more salt, ¼ teaspoon garam masala if required and crushed kasuri methi. Optionally you may stir in cream and garnish with coriander leaves and ginger juliennes. Squeeze some lemon juice. Serve rajma with chawal.

RAJMA MASALA CURRY RECIPE

Steps:

• Thoroughly wash rajma (beans) to remove any dirt and debris. Soak them in water for 6-8 hours or overnight.
• Drain the water and transfer soaked beans into a 2-3 liter capacity pressure cooker. Add 1¾ cups water and salt; close the lid and pressure cook over medium flame until it turns soft, for around 4-5 whistles. Turn off the flame and let the pressure release naturally (around 5-7 minutes) before opening the lid. Don't open the lid immediately as beans may not have cooked fully yet and steam inside pressure cooker will continue to cook them. 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 2-tablespoons oil in a pan (or kadai) over medium flame. When oil is medium hot, add 1 small piece of bay leaf, 1-inch long piece of Cinnamon, 1 green cardamom and 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, sauté for 30 seconds. Add chopped onion and sauté until onion turns translucent. Add 1-teaspoon ginger-garlic paste and 1 green chilli.
• Sauté for 1-2 minutes.
• Add chopped tomato and salt.
• Sauté until tomatoes turn soft, it will take around 3-4 minutes. Add 1-teaspoon red chilli powder and 1-teaspoon cumin-coriander powder.
• Mix well and sauté for a minute.
• Add boiled kidney beans and mix well.
• Add 1-cup water (or little more) (drained water from step-2 + normal 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.
• Add 1/4 cup milk (or 2 tablespoons fresh cream).
• If you are adding milk, cook for 2-3 minutes and turn off the flame. If you are adding fresh cream, mix well and turn off the flame. Rajma masala curry is ready; transfer it to a serving bowl and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

RAJMA MASALA

Steps:

• Wash the kidney beans and soak in 4 cups waters overnight. Next day morning, pressure cook along with the same water the beans were soaked in. Cook upto 4 to 5 whitsles or cook in a large pot of water till soft. Remove half a cup of cooked beans, crush coarsely and keep aside.
• Heat ghee and oil in a cooking vessel. Add cumin seeds and bay leaf and allow the seeds to splutter. Add the asafoetida and stir fry for few seconds and then add the ground onion paste and saute until golden brown sprinkling water occasionally until the oil separates.
• Add red chilli pwd, turmeric pwd, coriander pwd, cumin pwd, kasuri methi and salt. Mix well. Add the tomato puree and cook till oil separates.
• Add the cooked kidney beans along with the residue water left while pressure cooking it. Cover and cook for 5 mts.
• Add the crushed kidney beans and some more water if required to achieve a gravy consistency. Cook for 8-10 mts without lid on medium flame after adding the water. Add garam masala and cook on simmer with lid till required gravy consistency. Turn off heat and let it sit for at least an hour for the flavors to meld. Remove to a serving bowl and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
• Serve warm with steamed rice, jeera rice, chappatis or phulkas.