Rajma Recipe or Rajma Masala reminds me of the perfect comfort food. This is my simple, step-by-step recipe for Rajma masala.
My ultimate, home-cooked, protein-rich comfort food, Rajma masala curry or red kidney bean curry (lal lobia), is a delicious, earthy, and soul-soothing dish you can't wait to tuck into.
This delicious dish can be served with Rice or roti for a perfect vegetarian meal.
I love Rajma Masala! What gave that away? If my continuous rambling about Rajma supremacy peaks your taste buds and interest, you are excited to get your hands on an authentic desi Rajma recipe…
You really can't go wrong with this fool-proof recipe.
Read on to discover the best, most aromatic, and melt-in-your-mouth Rajma Masala recipe ever!
About Rajma
It is a popular dish in the Asian subcontinent, Pakistan and India. It's amazing how a handful of simple everyday ingredients can come together to make a masterpiece well-loved by thousands of people.
You will be surprised to know, as was I, that the red kidney bean or Lal Lobia was introduced to the Subcontinent by Portuguese and Spanish traders.
The red kidney bean (Lal Lobia) is native to Mexico, and the Spanish and Portuguese sailors enjoyed it so much that they brought it along on their travels, and thus began the love story of Rajma Masala and the Asian people.
As mentioned before, the ingredients of this recipe are probably already available in your kitchen.
Dry Kidney Beans
In the West, it's common to use pre-boiled kidney beans. In the East, the dry variety is used. The dry kidney beans must be soaked for at least 8 hours, or more commonly, overnight in water.
They absorb water and increase in size. Most recipes call for boiling the rajma in salted water and then adding it to the masala, but some recipes add the beans raw to the masala and then cook it in a pressure cooker.
Don't have a pressure cooker? Don't worry: you can use canned red kidney beans.
Onion and Tomato Masala
The onion and tomato masala are the cornerstone of all Indian & Pakistani cooking. In almost all gravy recipes, onions and tomatoes will be used in the masala. Some recipes may call for grinding the masala to get a smooth base, while others leave it as is.
Aromatic Spices
Where would Indian & Pakistani cuisine be without spices? This comforting rajma masala calls for basic spices found in all Indian & Pakistani homes: chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric, and salt.
Today, the red kidney bean (Lal Lobia) is found worldwide. Its popularity stems from its versatility. Here are some more similar dishes that you can find in resturants and cooked in Indian - Pakistani homes
- Aloo Gosht
- Daal Chana
- Kadhi Pakora
- Daal Makni
- Aloo matar
Reasons to love this recipe
Vegetarian and Vegan Friendly
Not only is rajma heavenly delicious, but it will also satisfy all your vegetarian or vegan friends and family.
All Around Favorite
Rajma is a fan-favourite recipe.
I have yet to meet someone who does not like a bowl of steaming, rich, creamy, and soft rajma served with fluffy and aromatic basmati rice!
I mean, my mouth starts to water just thinking about it!
Easy to Cook
The only difficulty in this recipe is waiting for it to cook so you can devour it!
The rajma or kidney beans take a little time to cook to the perfect softness, but the recipe is straightforward.
The Ultimate Comfort Food
Rajma Chawal tops the list when it comes to Asian comfort food.
You don't want to miss out on experiencing this wonder dish's rich and decadent flavours!
Unwinding after a rough day with a comforting bowl of rajma chawal… ah, bliss!
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Ingredients for Rajma Curry
You can make Rajma masala (Curry) in different ways. Today, I'm sharing an authentic Punjabi or Indian-style rajma masala, a bhuna masala rajma, containing sliced onions, ginger garlic paste and tomatoes.
To make this Rajma masala recipe, you can use both dry red kidney beans or canned red kidney beans. To ease the process, I have used canned beans. If you are using dry beans, soak them for a couple of hours so they are soft.
Check my pro tip sections for variations and substitutions you can make when making Rajama masala.
- Tomato
- Onion
- Ginger-garlic paste
- Red Beans (Lal Lobia)
- Yoghurt
- Oil
- Green Chillies
- salt
- Coriander powder
- Red chilli powder
- Turmeric powder
- Black pepper
- Water
For quantities, view the recipe card.
How to make this recipe
- Heat the oil over medium heat and sauté the onions until golden brown.
- Add the ginger-garlic paste and green chillies, and continue to fry for 2 minutes.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and cook on high heat until they soften. Then, reduce the heat and add all the spices (salt, coriander powder, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, and black pepper). Mix and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes.
Sauté the onions
Add Ginger Garlic Paste
Add tomatoes & Green Chillies
Mix all the ingredients
- Stir in the yoghurt, followed by the red kidney beans (lal Lobia). Add water and let the mixture simmer for 7 to 10 minutes.
Add yoghurt & Red kidney beans.
Add water
Let simmer
Serve the rajma masala with rice or roti, and enjoy! 😊
Hint: Remember, the secret to the perfectly cooked rajma masala lies in the tenderness of the kidney beans. They must be soft to the touch and melt when you bite into them. I like to use this canned red kidney beans
Substitution
You can substitute the red kidney beans for chickpeas or white channa. Of course, the flavour will be different, but cooking chickpeas in this way also makes a delicious curry.
If you are out of fresh tomatoes, you can replace them with tinned tomato paste. Since tomato paste is concentrated, use only 3 tablespoons in this recipe.
Variations
Thicker Gravy:
If you like a thicker, more paste-like gravy, you can mash some of the beans and mix in with the curry. You can also add cream to the gravy for a creamier texture.
Add Some Veggies:
You can add some peeled and diced potato cubes to the rajma curry for a delicious variation on rajma masala.
Equipment used
I love trying and testing new kitchen equipment. Below are a few that I used.
- Large pan or wok to cook the rajma
- Ladle or wooden spoon to cook the rajma
- Measuring spoons for the various spices
- Large platter or bowl for presentation
If you are thinking about upgrading your everyday kitchen equipment, you can check these:
Storage
This curry can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.
You can also make and freeze this curry in an air-tight container for up to 2 weeks.
Pro Tips
Soak the Rajma
To ensure that your rajma cooks well and becomes soft and tender, you must soak the rajma beans for at least 8-9 hours. If you can soak them the night before, that's best!
The longer they soak, the more water they absorb and get rehydrated, resulting in the tenderest and softest rajma masala. Soaking the rajma also helps to reduce phytic acid, which can cause indigestion. It also reduces cooking time.
Do Not Cover Soaked Rajma
When you submerge the beans in water and leave them to soak, ensure you do not place a lid on the container. If the beans are covered, they tend to turn slimy and stick together.
Cook Rajma Well
Nobody likes undercooked rajma! Red kidney beans tend to take a long time to cook to perfection. If you cook them in a pan, they can take up to an hour.
The easiest method to cook rajma is in a pressure cooker, and it takes much less time: roughly 15-20 minutes.
Creamy Masala
If you like a smooth, silky, and creamy masala in your rajma curry, you can grind it when it's done cooking. This will allow the onions and tomatoes to combine and make a paste-like consistency.
FAQ
Rajma masala is an Indian curry made of onions, tomatoes, various spices, yoghurt and red kidney beans.
If it is not soaked properly, and not cooked till tender, the rajma becomes hard to digest, leading to bloating.
You didn't soak the beans for long enough. Soaking them overnight is best, as it helps remove the bitter taste from the skin of the beans. When they are not soaked long enough, the bitterness remains in the beans. Adding a pinch of baking soda to the boiling water of the beans also helps.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Rajma Masala
Ingredients
- 1 Medium tomato, diced
- 1 Small onion, thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
- 200 gram red beans
- 2 tablespoon yoghurt
- 3 to 4 teaspoon oil
- 1 Small green chilli, chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ¾ teaspoon red chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups water
Instructions
- Heat oil over medium heat and sauté the onions until golden brown.
- Add the ginger-garlic paste and green chillies, and continue to fry for 2 minutes.
- Add the diced tomatoes to the pan and cook on high heat until the tomatoes soften. Then, reduce the heat and add all the spices (salt, coriander powder, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, and black pepper). Mix well and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes.
- Stir in the yoghurt, followed by the red beans. Add water and let the mixture simmer for 7 to 10 minutes.
- Add water and stir
- Serve the rajma with rice or roti, and enjoy! 😊
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