Punjabi Rajma Masala – Kidney Beans Curry is a Punjabi Curry prepared with kidney beans, which are cooked with whole spices first & then simmered in a spicy onion-tomato based gravy. The combination of rajma and rice is very popular throughout northern India, giving it a universal name of ‘Rajma Chawal’.
Rajma is one of the most popular curries in north India. Kidney beans are cooked with onion, tomatoes and spices in this flavourful vegetarian curry. In fact Rajma, Chole and Dal Makhani are the 3 most popular north Indian main course vegetarian recipes.
For me a good rajma should be flavourful with the beans blending in with the spices and the curry should slightly be on the thicker side and have a melt-in-mouth texture. Some people like their rajma in the runny consistency…It’s just personal choice! I remember eating Rajma at a Dhaba in the North and falling in love with it….that dhaba style rajma has it’s own aroma loaded with butter & ghee 😋
What is Rajma Chawal?
Rajma Chawal is a wholesome meal which is a part of regular Northern Indian diet. Rajma chawal is a dish where Rajma is a spicy curry which is served with steamed/boiled rice. A bowl of Rajma Chawal (steamed rice) with some ghee drizzled on top served with a side of masala onions and green chutney is the ultimate comfort food you can enjoy on a lazy Sunday. This hearty and healthy Rajma curry also tastes great with phulka and paratha.
How to Make Best Punjabi Rajma Masala?
Soak The Beans
- Wash rajma with water and soak it in enough water for 6-8 hours or overnight. The next morning it doubles in size.
- Wash the beans once again and drain well.
Cook Rajma In Pressure Cooker
- Add the drained rajma to a pressure cooker along with 5 cups water. To this add in the whole spices & 1 tsp salt. Put the lid on the cooker and cook on high heat for 5 whistles. Now reduce the heat to low heat and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the pressure cooker from heat and let the pressure release naturally. Open the lid once the pressure subsides and use the rajma to make the curry. However, sometimes, this cooking time may vary due to the quality of rajma & the water.
- Rajma is cooked when you can smoothly press it between your thumb and index finger. Cook for some more time, if you can’t press the rajma bean.
- Drain out 1/2 cup boiled rajma & blend to a paste. Set it aside, we will use this later.
Cook the Rajma In Instant Pot
- Add the drained rajma to the instant pot along with 5 cups water. To this add in the whole spices & 1 tsp salt. Put the lid on and set the valve to the sealing position. Press PRESSURE COOK and set the timer to 20 minutes. Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Release the remaining pressure manually and open the instant pot lid.
Make Onion Paste & Tomato Puree:
- Roughly chop 2 onions, add to a blender and blend well to make a smooth paste.
- Onion paste is ready. Keep it aside.
- Similarly puree 2 tomatoes & set aside. You can also use store bought tomato puree but I always prefer freshly made!
Making Rajma Masala
- Heat oil (2 tbsp) & ghee (1tbsp) in a pan over medium-high heat. I like to use combination of oil & ghee. But, feel free to use any one too!
- When the oil is hot enough, add in the whole spices to the pan and let them crackle for few seconds until aromatic.
- Add the onion paste and sauté for 5-6 minutes or until they are light brown loses the raw smell.
- Add in the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for 2 minutes.
- Now add the turmeric powder, red chilli powder, and mix well. Sauté for a minute.
- Add the tomato puree and mix well again.
- Let it cook for 10 minutes on medium-low heat. Stir occasionally.
- Onion-Tomato masala is ready when there is no raw smell and oil starts oozing out from the sides.
- Now add in rajma masala, amchur powder & 1/2 tsp salt. Mix well. Add 1/2 cup water & cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add this onion tomato masala to the boiled rajma and mix well.
- Adjust consistency with water. Add in the ground rajma paste prepared earlier. This step will make the curry very creamy.
- Simmer & cook for 15 minutes on low heat stirring occasionally.
- Finally add 2 slit green chillies, crushed Kasuri methi & garam masala powder. Mix well & adjust if needed.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes on medium heat.
- Add chopped coriander leaves and stir well again.
- Turn off the heat. The curry will thicken up at this stage. (Adjust the consistency to your liking.)
- Garnish with coriander leaves!
Pro Tips
- Soak the rajma for at least 8-10 hours before cooking them.
- Cooked rajma should be very tender but still, hold their shape. They should be easy to mash. If the rajma is not cooked well, the curry will not become creamy and it will be difficult to digest too.
- You can also use canned kidney beans. Do not discard the water, use it in the gravy as it makes the curry thick and creamy.
- In case you have forgotten to soak the rajma, soak it in boiling hot water for 2 hours. It will be ready to cook.
- For the Puree: You can also blanch onion & tomato first & then puree. Check here for this method.
- Instead of fresh tomatoes, you can also use 1 Cup store-bought tomato puree.
- Using Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder gives the curry a nice colour without imparting much heat.
- Cook the onion-tomato masala well for the best taste.
- In case you want to skip the step of making rajma paste, you can Mash the beans slightly using a spatula & cook. But, adding some mashed rajma gives a good creamy consistency to the curry! Add it to the gravy before simmering.
- Readymade rajma masala is not necessary. Basic Indian ingredients are enough to make this dish delicious. You can substitute Rajma Masala Powder with – 2 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp Cumin Powder & increase the garam masala powder by another 1/2 tsp. Rest of the recipe will remain the same.
- Adjust the consistency of the curry to your liking.
- Skip the ghee to keep this rajma recipe vegan.
Serving Suggestions:
In North Indian style, Punjabi Rajma Masala pairs best with plain basmati rice.
However, the creamy Punjabi Rajma masala Curry goes well with jeera rice, roti, or any Indian flatbread like poori, naan, plain paratha, etc. Serve with raw onion slice & lemon wedge on the side!
Punjabi Rajma Masala - Kidney Beans Curry | Rajma Chawal
Punjabi Rajma Masala - Kidney Beans Curry is prepared with kidney beans, which are cooked with whole spices & then simmered in a spicy onion-tomato based gravy.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
To Pressure Cook:
- 2 Cups kidney Beans Rajma
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 1" Cinnamon stick
- 2 Cloves
- 3/4 tsp Salt
For Masala:
- 2 tbsp Oil
- 1 tbsp Ghee Divided
- 2 Dry Red Chilliies
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 1" Cinnamon Stick
- 2 Cloves
- 5 Peppercorns
- 1 Green Cardamom
- 1 Black Cardamom
- 2 Onions blend into a paste
- 1.5 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
- 2 tsp Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
- 2 Tomatoes blend into a paste
- 1 tbsp Coriander Powder
- 1 tsp Cumin Powder
- 1 tsp Rajma Masala Powder any store bought
- 1 tsp Amchur Powder Dry Mango Powder
- 2 Green Chillies Slit lengthwise
- 1/2 tsp Garam Masala Powder
- 2 tbsp Kasuri Methi Dried Fenugreek Leaves
- 2 tbsp Fresh Coriander Leaves, Finely Chopped
- Required Water
Instructions
Soak The Beans
- Wash rajma with water and soak it in enough water for 6-8 hours or overnight. The next morning it doubles in size.
- Wash the beans once again and drain well.
Cook The Rajma In Pressure Cooker
- Add the drained rajma to a pressure cooker along with 5 cups water. To this add in the whole spices & 1 tsp salt. Put the lid on the cooker and cook on high heat for 5 whistles. Now reduce the heat to low heat and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the pressure cooker from heat and let the pressure release naturally. Open the lid once the pressure subsides and use the rajma to make the curry. However, sometimes, this cooking time may vary due to the quality of rajma & the water.
- Rajma is cooked when you can smoothly press it between your thumb and index finger. Cook for some more time, if you can’t press the rajma bean.
- Drain out 1/2 cup boiled rajma & blend to a paste. Set it aside, we will use this later.
Cook the Rajma In Instant Pot
- Add the drained rajma to the instant pot along with 5 cups water. To this add in the whole spices & 1 tsp salt. Put the lid on and set the valve to the sealing position. Press PRESSURE COOK and set the timer to 20 minutes. Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Release the remaining pressure manually and open the instant pot lid.
Make Rajma Masala
- Heat oil & ghee in a pan over medium-high heat.
- When the oil is hot enough, add in the whole spices to the pan and let them crackle for few seconds until aromatic.
- Add the onion paste and sauté for 5-6 minutes or until they are light brown loses the raw smell.
- Add in the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for 2 minutes.
- Now add the turmeric powder, red chilli powder, and mix well. Sauté for a minute.
- Add the tomato puree and mix well again.
- Let it cook for 10 minutes on medium-low heat. Stir occasionally.
- Onion-Tomato masala is ready when there is no raw smell and oil starts oozing from the sides.
- Now add in rajma masala, amchur masala & 1/2 tsp salt. Mix well. Add 1/2 cup water & cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add this onion tomato masala to the boiled rajma and mix well.
- Adjust consistency with water. Add in the ground rajma paste prepared earlier. This step will make the curry very creamy.
- Simmer & cook for 15 minutes on low heat stirring occasionally.
- Finally add 2 slit green chillies, crushed Kasuri methi & garam masala powder. Mix well & adjust if needed.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes on medium heat.
- Add chopped coriander leaves and stir well again.
- Turn off the heat. The curry will thicken up at this stage. (Adjust the consistency to your liking.)
- Garnish with coriander leaves, onion leaves, and serve hot with rice or roti.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Soak the rajma for at least 8-10 hours before cooking them.
- Pressure cook till they are tender, slightly mushy but still holds the shape.
- You can also use canned kidney beans. Do not discard the water, use it in the gravy as it makes the curry thick and creamy.
- In case you have forgotten to soak the rajma, soak it in boiling hot water for 2 hours. It will be ready to cook.
- Instead of fresh tomatoes, you can also use 1 Cup store-bought tomato puree.
- Using Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder gives the curry a nice colour without imparting much heat.
- Cook the onion-tomato masala well for the best taste.
- Adjust the consistency of the curry to your liking.
- Skip the ghee to keep this rajma recipe vegan.
DO CHECK OUT OTHER NORTH INDIAN CURRIES & VEGETARIAN SIDE DISHES FROM BLOG!!
Few popular dishes from blog:
- Palak Paneer
- Punjabi Chole
- Dal Makhani
- Paneer Butter Masala
- Baingan Bartha
- Matar Paneer
- Beetroot Kofta Curry
Many more to come!!…..STAY TUNED!!
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Happy Cooking 
Cheers!!
Padma.
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