Rajma Masala

Punjabi Rajma Masala (Red Kidney Beans Curry) is a much loved spicy curry in most Indian Households and it goes very well with rice, chapati, or any Indian bread. Here is how to make this curry in a traditional Punjabi style at home.

Here some more Rajma Recipes for you, to fulfill Protein intake for the day – Kashmiri Rajma, Sundal, and Old Fashioned Kidney Bean Salad. 

Jump to:

• What is Rajma?
• Nutrition
• About This Recipe
• Ingredients
• Step by Step Recipe
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Storage Suggestions
• Serving Suggestions
• Recipe Card

What is Rajma?

Rajma is also called Red Kidney Bean in English. It is popularly used in North India and Nepal to make curries.

There are many varieties of this bean. The popular ones are Kashmiri, Citra, and Red Rajma.

Although it is said that Kashmiri variety is the best after trying out all the varieties many times, I have started to use only Chitra variety.

It cooks very well and evenly and gets slightly mushy when cooked in a curry giving the curry a perfect texture.

Nutrition

Rajma or Kidney Beans are high in Protein. They are also high in fiber, folate, and magnesium. High Fibre in Rajma promotes healthy digestion, and Folate and Magnesium promote good heart health. You can read more about it along with its benefits here.

About This Recipe

Rajma Masala or Red Kidney Beans Curry is a dish prepared from boiled beans simmered in a creamy, rich onion tomato based gravy.

It also has some everyday spices which add a lot of flavor to the tomato-onion base of this curry. Don’t forget to add fresh coriander leaves at the end, it adds a beautiful color and freshness to the curry. 

Rajma Curry and Rice is comfort food for many Indians and the popularity of the combination is increasing day by day around the world.

This Rajma Chawal combination is very popular in North India and you will find many street stalls selling this delicious combination with some spicy green chutney, sliced onions, and lemon.

This dish can easily score top among the most loved dishes in India. Native to Punjab, this curry has become a favorite almost in all parts of India.

Like many other Indian dishes, each house has its own recipe to make it and with a slight variation here and there, it becomes a family-owned recipe that passes from generation to generation.

This Punjabi curry is,

• Delicious
• Comforting
• Easy to make
• High in Protein
• Apt for your everyday meals

Ingredients

Rajma – You can use any variety of Rajma to make this Punjabi curry. I prefer using Chitra variety, as it cooks really well.

Tomatoes – We will use both finely chopped tomatoes and tomato puree to get that perfect tangy taste and the right consistency of the gravy.

Spice Powders – We will use some everyday spice powders for this authentic Punjabi Curry such as coriander powder, turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, roasted cumin powder, dry mango powder, and garam masala powder.

Oil – Use mustard oil for the authentic taste, but if you do not have the same, you can make this curry with any vegetable oil or even ghee.

Other Ingredients – Other than the above-mentioned ingredients, we will need onions, ginger garlic paste, salt, and fresh coriander.

Step by Step Recipe

Wash the rajma and soak in enough water for 5-6 hours. Drain the water.

Add the soaked rajma in a pressure cooker with 2 tsp of salt and 3 cups of water. Cook till it is soft and cooked. Remove the pressure cooker from heat and keep aside.

Heat oil in a Karahi / pan.

When the oil is hot, add onion and fry till translucent.

Add Ginger Garlic paste and fry till onion is golden brown.

Add chopped tomato and tomato puree and cook for a minute.

Now add coriander powder, turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, roasted cumin powder, amchoor powder and garam masala powder and fry for a few seconds. 

Add ½ cup water and cook the masala till oil separates on the side of the pan.

Add the cooked rajma along with the water and cook on low heat for 10-15 minutes. Slightly press a few rajmas with the back of a ladle.

Add more water and salt if required. Garnish with Fresh Coriander. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Storage Suggestions

To freeze rajma masala, you can transfer it in a freezer-safe box and just keep it in the freezer for up to 30 days.

When you are ready to eat it, take out the container and let it rest on the counter for 2-3 hours until the content thaw and then reheat until nice and warm.

The curry keeps well in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Serving Suggestions

If you ask any North Indian about their favorite weekend meal, Rajma Chawal will definitely be on top of the list.

This spicy Punjabi curry goes very well with Steamed or Jeera Rice but it can be served with any Indian bread like Naan, Phulka, Tawa Paratha, Laccha Paratha, Masala Paratha as well.

Recipe Card