Punjabi Rajma Masala Recipe (Indian Red Kidney Bean Curry)
Punjabi Rajma Masala (Indian Red Kidney Bean Curry) is one of the most popular curries made in North India. Learn to make it at home using my easy recipe.
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry rajma (red kidney beans)
- 4 tablespoons mustard oil or any other cooking oil that you prefer
- 2 cloves (laung)
- 2 green cardamoms (hari elaichi)
- 1-inch piece of cinnamon stick (dalchini)
- 1 and ½ cups finely chopped red onions
- 2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste
- ¾ cup finely chopped tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons canned tomato puree or 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 3 teaspoons coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder
- 2 teaspoons dry mango powder (amchoor)
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
- 2 teaspoons salt plus more if needed
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (fresh coriander leaves)
Instructions
Soak The Beans
- Rinse dry rajma with water and soak it in 4-5 cups of water for 6-8 hours or overnight.
- Rinse the beans once again and drain well.
Cook The Rajma In Pressure Cooker
- Add the soaked rajma to a pressure cooker with 2 teaspoons of salt and 3 cups of water. Put the lid on the cooker and cook on high heat for one whistle. Now reduce the heat to low and cook for 20 minutes. Remove the pressure cooker from heat and let the pressure release naturally. Open the lid and use the rajma to make the curry.
Cook The Rajma In Instant Pot
- Add the soaked rajma to the instant pot along with 2 teaspoons of salt and 2 cups of water. Put the lid on and set the valve to the sealing position. Press PRESSURE COOK and set the timer to 20 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 of the instant pot.
Make Rajma Masala Curry
- Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
- While the oil is heating, lightly crush cloves, green cardamoms, and cinnamon stick in a mortar and pestle.
- When the oil is hot, add the crushed whole spices to the pan and let them crackle for 5-6 seconds.
- Add onions and cook until they turn light brown (8-10 minutes), stirring frequently.
- Add ginger-garlic paste and cook until onions turn golden brown (8-10 minutes). Stir frequently while cooking.
- Now add tomatoes and tomato puree and cook for a minute. Mash the tomatoes while cooking with the back of a ladle.
- Add coriander powder, turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, cumin powder, dry mango powder, and garam masala powder, and cook for 10-12 seconds.
- Add ½ cup water and cook until the oil starts to separate on the sides of the pan (2-3 minutes).
- Now add the cooked rajma along with the water in which it was cooked and reduce the heat to low.
- Cook for 10-15 minutes. Slightly press a few rajma with the back of a ladle. This step will make the curry very creamy.
- Add more water and salt if required.
- Add cilantro and mix well. Serve hot.
Video
Notes
Cooked rajma should be very tender but still hold its shape. It should also be easy to mash. If the rajma is not cooked well, the curry will not become creamy and will be difficult to digest.
You can also use canned rajma instead of cooking it at home. Use the liquid along with the canned beans as it makes the curry thick and creamy.
If you have forgotten to soak the rajma, you can soak it in boiling water for 2 hours. It will be ready to cook.
To make the curry even more indulgent, you can give the ready curry a tempering of cumin seeds, green chilies (slit into half), and ginger juliennes in ghee or oil.
Adding some crushed Kasuri methi at the end of the cooking also enhances the taste of this dish.
You can easily double or triple the recipe. I cooked the rajma in my 3-quart Instant Pot (or a 3-liter stovetop pressure cooker). If you are doubling or tripling it, then use a bigger instant pot or pressure cooker. The time of cooking will remain the same.
Nutrition
Calories: 266kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 29mg | Potassium: 179mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 735IU | Vitamin C: 7.7mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1.1mg
