Rajma is a popular vegetarian Indian curry made of kidney beans. Punjabi Rajma is made with Indian spices and usually served with rice. A most popular dish in North India, especially Punjab. It is the most favourite dish at my home. I, personally love rajmah chawal a lot. No side dish is required.
If you are expecting some guests, you can go for Rajma Recipe or Masala Rajma. You can club Rajmah with either Rice, Onion Rice, Jeera Rice, Pulao or Naan, perfectly up to your wish. You will definitely be appreciated.
If soaked overnight, it takes 30 minutes to cook the dish. If not soaked, the cooking time will increase and it will take around 45-50 minutes to complete the dish. So, soaking rajma overnight or for 7-8 hours is very important. Please buy good quality rajmah and make sure the rajma you are buying is fresh and not old because old or low-quality rajma will take more time to cook.
Rajma is the most popular dish in North India, specifically Punjab. Tadka for rajma is the most important part. It has onion, tomatoes, ginger and garlic, along with some spices which add a delicious flavour to rajmah. You can use this tadka in any other gravy dishes
Rajma Recipe
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
- Pan
- Bowl to soak
Ingredients
- 1 cup Rajma(Chitre)
For tadka
- 2 tbsp Ghee/ Cooking Oil
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds/ Jeera (Optional)
- 1 Bay Leaf (Optional)
- 2 Onions ( Finely Chopped)
- 3 Tomatoes ( Finely chopped)
- 1 tsp Ginger garlic paste
- 1 Green chilly (Optional)
Dry masalas
- 1 tsp Dhania Powder (Coriander Powder)
- 1 tsp Jeera Powder (Cumin Powder)
- 1 tsp Haldi (Turmeric Powder)
- 1 tsp Red Chilly Powder
- Salt to taste
Other ingredients
- 1 tbsp Chopped coriander leaves
- 1 tsp Kitchen King (Optional)
Instructions
Soaking Rajma
- Take 1 bowl of rajma. Rinse in fresh water and soak it for 6-7 hours.
Boiling Rajma
- Take soaked Rajma in a pressure cooker with around 4 cups of water. Boil it for 15-20 minutes.
- Allow the pressure to release naturally, on its own. You can check by pressing a bean. If it is hard, pressure cook for 2-3 whistles.
Preparing Tadka
- Meanwhile, we will prepare tadka for our rajma.
- Firstly, take cooking oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and bay leaves. Saute till seeds crackle.
- Secondly, add finely chopped onion. Saute till golden brown. Add chopped chilly.
- Next, add chopped tomatoes and ginger-garlic paste. Cook till oil gets separated.
Adding dry masalas
- When oil separates out, now its time to add dry masalas keeping the flame low.
- Add all the masalas mentioned under the heading Dry Masalas (Dhania Powder, Jeera Powder, Haldi, Kashmiri lal mirch and salt).
- Saute till a nice aroma starts coming from it. Turn off the flame and add this tadka in the cooker with boiled rajma.
Cooking rajma
- Finally, add this tadka in the cooker with boiled rajma. Mix well.
- Add 1 or 1 1/2 cup water and close the lid. Allow rajma to cook for at least for 15-20 minutes. Keep the flame low.
- And.. your yummy rajma is ready to serve. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve with plain rice, Jeera rice, onion rice, roti, naan etc.
Notes
- First and the most important, always get the good quality rajma. Rajma should not be of old stock as it will take more time to cook rajma.
- Secondly, preferably use desi ghee. It will add more flavour to the gravy.
- Thirdly, you can skip khade masalas like bay leaf etc. These are optional and rajma tastes best anyways.
- Additionally, you can use chopped onion or blended onion(paste). It will change the texture of the gravy.
- And, tadka should be cooked properly till the oil gets separate out, otherwise, taste of raw tomato will spoil the taste and richness of the gravy.
- Lastly, don’t add too much water. It will suppress the flavours of masalas and moreover, your curry will not look thick and impressive.
Rajma Recipe
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
- Pan
- Bowl to soak
Ingredients
- 1 cup Rajma(Chitre)
For tadka
- 2 tbsp Ghee/ Cooking Oil
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds/ Jeera (Optional)
- 1 Bay Leaf (Optional)
- 2 Onions ( Finely Chopped)
- 3 Tomatoes ( Finely chopped)
- 1 tsp Ginger garlic paste
- 1 Green chilly (Optional)
Dry masalas
- 1 tsp Dhania Powder (Coriander Powder)
- 1 tsp Jeera Powder (Cumin Powder)
- 1 tsp Haldi (Turmeric Powder)
- 1 tsp Red Chilly Powder
- Salt to taste
Other ingredients
- 1 tbsp Chopped coriander leaves
- 1 tsp Kitchen King (Optional)
Instructions
Soaking Rajma
- Take 1 bowl of rajma. Rinse in fresh water and soak it for 6-7 hours.
Boiling Rajma
- Take soaked Rajma in a pressure cooker with around 4 cups of water. Boil it for 15-20 minutes.
- Allow the pressure to release naturally, on its own. You can check by pressing a bean. If it is hard, pressure cook for 2-3 whistles.
Preparing Tadka
- Meanwhile, we will prepare tadka for our rajma.
- Firstly, take cooking oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and bay leaves. Saute till seeds crackle.
- Secondly, add finely chopped onion. Saute till golden brown. Add chopped chilly.
- Next, add chopped tomatoes and ginger-garlic paste. Cook till oil gets separated.
Adding dry masalas
- When oil separates out, now its time to add dry masalas keeping the flame low.
- Add all the masalas mentioned under the heading Dry Masalas (Dhania Powder, Jeera Powder, Haldi, Kashmiri lal mirch and salt).
- Saute till a nice aroma starts coming from it. Turn off the flame and add this tadka in the cooker with boiled rajma.
Cooking rajma
- Finally, add this tadka in the cooker with boiled rajma. Mix well.
- Add 1 or 1 1/2 cup water and close the lid. Allow rajma to cook for at least for 15-20 minutes. Keep the flame low.
- And.. your yummy rajma is ready to serve. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve with plain rice, Jeera rice, onion rice, roti, naan etc.
Notes
- First and the most important, always get the good quality rajma. Rajma should not be of old stock as it will take more time to cook rajma.
- Secondly, preferably use desi ghee. It will add more flavour to the gravy.
- Thirdly, you can skip khade masalas like bay leaf etc. These are optional and rajma tastes best anyways.
- Additionally, you can use chopped onion or blended onion(paste). It will change the texture of the gravy.
- And, tadka should be cooked properly till the oil gets separate out, otherwise, taste of raw tomato will spoil the taste and richness of the gravy.
- Lastly, don’t add too much water. It will suppress the flavours of masalas and moreover, your curry will not look thick and impressive.