Kashmiri Rajma Curry Recipe
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Kashmiri Rajma is a flavourful Kashmiri-style curry with red kidney beans cooked in a yogurt-based gravy flavored with fennel and dry ginger powder. It is easy to make and quite popular in Kashmiri households. You can serve it for lunch or dinner with steamed rice, jeera rice, or lightly spiced pulao.
Here are more rajma recipes you can include in your everyday meals: Punjabi Rajma Masala, Kidney Bean Salad, and Rajma Sundal.
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I have always been fascinated with Kashmiri cuisine. It uses minimal ingredients, and the fennel and dry ginger flavors make it very unique. Yesterday, I soaked some rajma and, instead of making it in the traditional Punjabi style, I decided to make a variation: this Kashmiri version.
The Kashmiri rajma masala is nowhere close to its Punjabi counterpart in terms of taste. Fennel and ginger give it a distinct taste that you won’t find in other rajma curries. The curry is also supposed to be very thin. But it is quite delicious, and if you want a change, try it.
Ingredients
- Rajma – This recipe uses Kashmiri rajma, also called Baderwah rajma. This variety of rajma is a smaller and glossier version of red rajma. If you cannot find Kashmiri rajma, you can prepare this curry using red or Chitra rajma, too.
- Yogurt (Dahi, Curd) – If using homemade yogurt, ensure it’s not sour. Although not traditional, I like to whisk the yogurt with 1 teaspoon of all-purpose flour (maida). This step prevents the yogurt from splitting while cooking.
- Oil – For a traditional taste, prepare this curry in mustard oil. If mustard oil is unavailable, use any cooking oil or ghee.
- Spice powders – This curry uses fennel seed powder (saunf), ginger powder (saunth), coriander powder, turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, salt, and garam masala powder.
- Others – You will also need cloves (laung), cinnamon sticks (dalchini), cumin seeds, asafetida (hing), onions, ginger paste, salt, and cilantro (fresh coriander leaves).
How To Make Kashmiri Rajma Curry
Cook The Rajma
Step 1: Wash 1 cup of dry Kashmiri rajma and soak it in 3-4 cups of water for 6-8 hours.
Step 2: Drain the water and add the rajma to an Instant Pot with the following ingredients, and stir well.
- 3 cups of water
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon fennel seed powder
- 1 teaspoon dry ginger powder
- 2-3 cloves
- 1-inch piece of cinnamon stick.
Step 3: Secure the lid of the Instant Pot. Press PRESSURE COOK and set the timer to 15 minutes at high pressure. Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Release the remaining pressure manually and open the lid.
To cook the rajma in a traditional stovetop pressure cooker, add the soaked rajma with 3 and ½ cups of water, salt, fennel seed powder, ginger powder, cloves, and cinnamon stick. Pressure cook for 1 whistle on high heat. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the cooker from the heat and let the pressure release naturally. Open the lid.
Make The Curry
Step 4: Heat 4 tablespoon mustard oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds and ¼ teaspoon asafetida and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds.
Step 5: Add ½ cup chopped onions and cook until they turn slightly brown (6-8 minutes), stirring frequently.
To make it in the Kashmiri Pandit style, skip adding onions and ginger to the recipe.
Step 6: Add 2 teaspoon ginger paste and cook until onions are nicely browned.
Step 7: Now add ¼ cup of yogurt, whisked with 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour, and cook for 1 minute.
Step 8: Add the following spice powders and cook until the oil separates from the sides of the pan.
- 2 teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
Step 9: Add the cooked rajma and the water it was boiled in to the pan.
Step 10: Mash a few rajma pieces with the back of a ladle to make the gravy creamier. Reduce the heat to low. Cover the pan with a lid and cook on low heat for 10-12 minutes, stirring a few times.
Step 11: Add ½ teaspoon garam masala and 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro and mix well. Check for salt and add more if needed. Serve hot with steamed rice or saffron rice.
Storage Suggestions
This curry can be stored in an airtight container for 2-3 days. Reheat until nicely hot before serving again.
Other Kashmiri Recipes We Recommend
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Kashmiri Rajma Curry Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry Kashmiri rajma
- 2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds powder (saunf powder)
- 1 teaspoon dry ginger powder (saunth)
- 2-3 cloves (laung)
- 1 inch piece of cinnamon stick (dalchini)
- 4 tablespoons mustard oil (or any other cooking oil or ghee)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon asafetida (hing) (skip for gluten-free)
- ½ cup chopped onions
- 2 teaspoons ginger paste
- ¼ cup yogurt (dahi, curd) (whisked with 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour (maida))
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (fresh coriander powder)
Instructions
Cook The Rajma
- Wash the rajma and soak it in 3-4 cups of water for 6-8 hours.
- Drain the water and add the rajma in an instant pot along with 3 cups of water, salt, fennel seeds powder, ginger powder, cloves, and cinnamon stick.
- Stir well.
- Secure the lid of the instant pot.
- Press PRESSURE COOK and set the timer to 15 minutes at high pressure.
- Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.
- Release the remaining pressure manually and open the lid.
- Note – To cook the rajma in a traditional stovetop pressure cooker add the rajma to the cooker along with 3 and ½ cups of water, salt, fennel seed powder, ginger powder, cloves, and cinnamon stick. Pressure cook for 1 whistle on high heat. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the cooker from heat and let the pressure release naturally. Open the lid.
Make The Curry
- Heat mustard oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds, and asafetida and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds.
- Add onions and cook until they turn slightly brown (6-8 minutes), stirring frequently.
- Add ginger paste and cook until onions are nicely browned.
- Now add yogurt and cook for a minute.
- Add coriander powder, turmeric powder, and chili powder, and cook until oil starts to separate from the sides of the pan.
- Add the cooked rajma along with the water in which it was boiled to the pan.
- Mash a few rajma pieces with the back of a ladle.
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 10-12 minutes on low heat. Stir a few times while cooking.
- Add garam masala and cilantro and mix well.
- Check for salt and add more if needed.
- Serve hot with steamed rice or saffron rice.
Can I use atta flour instead of maida?
Yes, sure
You are outstanding as always. DrBMSharma
Thanks a lot for your encouraging words.
Good recipe and very different from the usual onion tomato base
Thanks
This was the best rajma recipe ever!
That trick with the yogurt and flour is just magic! Loved it
Thank you for sharing!
Happy to hear Madhurima 🙂