Updated on by Raks Anand 73 Comments
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Rajma masala recipe with step by step pictures - Your search for perfect recipe ends here. Let's see the secret for a scrumptious home style Rajma masala.
Rajma masala is an Indian curry with spices in which red kidney beans are slow cooked for a delicious gravy.
Goes well with all Indian flatbreads and cooked rice (Rajma chawal).
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- Ingredients
- Instructions
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Ingredients
Rajma - Red kidney beans
For delicious rajma masala, rajma must be cooked soft and for long time in the gravy to absorb the taste.
There are different types of Rajma available at the groceries. How to choose the right one?
Red kidney bean - Choose Rajma that is reddish in colour not deep red that looks almost black. Because the black one never gets soft cooked how much ever time you cook!
Other than this, there is light coloured rajma with speckles (lines) and dark coloured rajma, similar with speckles. These gets cooked well too.
There is also white rajma called Cannellini beans that I have posted sundal with.
For the curry base, it is onion and tomato cooked along with green chilli and red chilli powder for spice and garam masala, whole spices, ginger garlic paste, coriander powder & fresh leaves for flavors.
Instructions
1. Wash and soak Rajma firstly for 10-12 hours (overnight) and drain the water.
After that, pressure cook for 4-5 whistles, with salt and enough water to immerse the rajma completely.
Once done, set aside with the water.
2. Meanwhile, chop onions and tomatoes finely.
Then, in a kadai/ pan, heat oil and temper with cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and Indian bay leaf.
After that, add the chopped onion. Fry till golden and soft, so that as it blended in the gravy as you simmer later.
3. Add ginger garlic paste and give it a fry for a minute.
Then add chopped tomatoes, slit green chillies. Mix well.
4. Following that, add salt, red chilli powder, garam masala powder and dhaniya powder.
Add kasoori methi crushed in between your hands.
Continue by cooking in medium flame for 5-7 minutes until the raw smell goes away.
5. Finally, add the rajama and the reserved water and cook for another 10-15 minutes. Adjust water if needed.
6. And lastly add cream (optional) and mix well. Simmer for couple of minutes and switch off flame.
Garnish with lots of coriander leaves (I did not add).
Though it goes well with steamed basmati rice or roti, my choice is to have it with rice the best😀.
Recipe card
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5 from 2 votes
Rajma masala recipe
Rajma masala recipe with step by step pictures - Your search for perfect recipe ends here. Let's see the secret for a scrumptious home style Rajma masala.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Indian
Prep Time 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time 38 minutes minutes
Soaking time 10 hours hours
Author Raks Anand
Servings 4 people
Cup measurements
Ingredients
- 1 cup Rajma red kidney beans
- 2 Onion
- 3 Tomato
- 2 Green chilli
- 1 teaspoon Ginger garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon Kasoori methi
- 1 teaspoon Red chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon Garam masala powder
- 2 teaspoon Coriander seeds powder Dhaniya powder
- 3 tablespoon Cooking cream You can skip if you don't want
- Salt
To temper
- 1 tablespoon Oil
- ½ inch Cinnamon
- 1 Cardamom
- 1 Clove
- 1 Indian bay leaf
Instructions
Wash and soak Rajma firstly for 10-12 hours (overnight) and drain the water.
After that, pressure cook for 4-5 whistles, with salt and enough water to immerse the rajma completely.
Once done, set aside with the water.
Meanwhile, chop onions and tomatoes finely.
Then, in a kadai/ pan, heat oil and temper with cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and Indian bay leaf.
After that, add the chopped onion. Fry till golden.
Add ginger garlic paste and give it a fry for a minute.
Then add chopped tomatoes, slit green chillies. Mix well.
Following that, add salt, red chilli powder, garam masala powder and dhaniya powder.
Add kasoori methi crushed in between your hands.
Continue by cooking in medium flame for 5-7 minutes until the raw smell goes away.
Finally, add the rajama and the reserved water and cook for another 10-15 minutes. Adjust water if needed.
And lastly add cream and mix well. Simmer for couple of minutes and switch off flame.
Garnish with lots of coriander leaves.
Notes
- As I said before, choose red rajma or any variety with straeks that gets cooked easily. not the deep red (blackish red).
- Cook rajma soft and simmer for long time for tasty curry.
- You can try adding a large pinch of cooking soda while pressure cooking, in case of emergency.
- Instead of ginger garlic paste, you can use chopped ginger and chopped garlic.
- Or chopped ginger alone too works fine. If you want to avoid garlic, use hing/ asafoetida.
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