Kashmiri Rajma Masala is a delicious yogurt-based red kidney beans curry that is quite popular in Kashmiri households. You can serve it for lunch or dinner with steamed rice, jeera rice, or any lightly spiced pulao.
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.
If you cannot get your hands on Kashmiri rajma, you can prepare this curry using red or Chitra rajma too.Although not traditional, I like to whisk the yogurt with 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour (maida). This step prevents the yogurt from splitting while cooking.To make it in Kashmiri Pandit style, skip adding onions and ginger to the recipe.