Rajma Masala / Spicy Indian Red Kidney Beans Curry

Rajma masala is a typical North Indian dish. You will find it in every roadside Punjabi dhaba , high end restaurant who are serving North Indian cuisine and not to mention every Punjabi house it is part of their regular cuisine. Even the langhar at Gurudwara serve this. I have tasted it in quiet a number of places from road side dhaba to five star hotels but every time the taste goes different though the basic creamy base of onion and ginger garlic and tomato remain the same. With all the taste that are stored in memory I tried to recreate rajma masala in my kitchen and to my surprise it really turned well. My version of rajma masala though loaded with calories but it’s definitely the creamiest version. Give it a try and let me know whether you agree my opinion or not. Today I am taking this recipe to our Potluck Party Cyber Style.

Prep time: 10 min 
Cook time: 45 min
Yield: 4 to 5

Ingredients:
1 ½  cup Rajma / red kidney beans soaked in 4 cups of water
2 onion paste
1 cup tomato puree
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
a pinch of hing/ asafoetida
1 trj patta/ bay leave
¼ tsp turmeric powder
1tsp red chily powder
½  tsp amchur powder/ dry mango powder
1 tbsp coriander powder
½ tsp cumin powder
1 tsp crushed kasoori meethi/ dry fenugrek leaves
1 tbsp yogurt
3 green chilly chopped ( optional)
1 tbsp  fresh cream
½  tsp garam masala powder
1 tbsp  white or regular butter
1/8  tsp sugar
2 tbsp Oil
Salt to taste
Handful of fresh coriander
1 tsp finely chopped fresh Ginger (optional)

Methods of Cooking
Soak the rajma for 8 to 9 hours or overnight. Now put them in pressure cooker with water and cook for 5 to 6 whistle or till they are soft. They should be soft like melt in mouth which helps for easy digest. Put off the flame and keep aside. Now heat oil in a pan add kasoori methi and bay leaves. Now add the onion paste, ginger garlic paste and all the other dry spices, salt, sugar except garam masala. Stir and cook for few second then add the tomato puree and yogurt and continuously stir till the oil separates from the masala. Now strain the water and keep aside for later use and add the cooked rajma and mix well with spices. When the rajma is well mixed with the spices then add the water kept aside ( you can add little more hot water if it seems it needed more water to get the right consistency. Mix well. Let it come to boil. Mash few red kidney beans to give the gravy a thick consistency. When the gravy becomes thick adjusts seasoning and then add butter, garam masal and fresh cream. Make sure this gravy will be thick and creamy in consistency. Mix well. Garnish with chopped coriander, ginger and fresh cream. Traditionally rajma masala is served with long grain basmati rice but this yummy spicy preparation can be paired with Indian flat bread and paratha’s too. With simple salad and roti too rajma masala is very yummy.

Sending this to Potluck Party Cyber Style.

Happy Cooking!