RAJMA MASALA RECIPE , RED KIDNEY BEANS MASALA

   Rajma masala is an authentic Punjabi dish which i have tasted many times in restaurants. Though i make Dal makhani at home , rajma masala is a rare one that i make at home. Recently during our trip to Vietnam, we were served jeera rice and rajma masala in the flight and my son Varun enjoyed it a lot. He asked me to make rajma masala at home one day. I totally forgot that and last week one day he pleaded me to make rajma masala for dinner after coming from school. But i didn’t soak rajma previous night. Finally i bought  the canned red kidney beans and rajma masala for him.
Also check out my

• Rajma cheese paratha
• Rajma pulao

INGREDIENTS: (SERVES 3-4)

RAJMA | RED KIDNEY BEANS (COOKED)*	1 AND 1/2 CUP
ONION	2
BAY LEAF	1
TOMATO	2
GARAM MASALA	1/4 TSP
CORIANDER POWDER	1/2TSP
JEERA POWDER	1/4 TSP
RED CHILLI POWDER	1/2 TSP
OIL	1 TBLSP
SALT	TO TASTE
KASOORI METHI	1/4 TSP
MILK | CREAM	1/4 CUP

* I used 2 canned red kidney beans.

METHOD:

• If using the dry rajma, soak it for 10 to 12 hours and cook till 6-7 whistles in a pressure cooker or till it becomes soft. Add salt and bay leaf while cooking. Discard the bay leaf later. Reserve the cooked water.
• If using canned one, drain the excess water and wash it thoroughly.
• Chop the onions very finely. Alternatively you can make the onion into a fine paste too.

• In a pan add the oil and add the bay leaf ( since i used the canned rajma i have added bay leaf now) If using dry one, add bay leaf while cooking itself.
• Throw in the onions and saute for few minutes in a low flame till it turns pink.
• Add the garam masala powder at this stage and saute for few minutes. Adding garam masala at this stage will give a nice flavor to the curry.

• Puree the tomatoes and add it to the onion garam masala mix.
• Add the red chilli powder, coriander powder, jeera powder and coriander powder.

• Mix well and saute well till the raw smell goes off and the gravy oozes out oil.
• Add the red kidney beans to this.

• If you cooked the rajma add the reserved water which u used for cooking else add 1 to 1 and 1/2 cup of water.
• Add the kasoori methi. Check for salt.

• Allow this boil for few minutes and add the milk.  I used full cream milk for a creamy texture. You can use cream or evaporated milk too.
• Keep the flame low and cook it for 20 minutes . Stir in between.
• Creamy and finger licking Rajma masala is ready to serve.
• Serve with roti | jeera rice.

Note:

• Ginger garlic paste can be added after adding onions.
• Use the best variety of red kidney beans, else it will not get cooked.

Check out these recipes too:

• DAL MAKHANI
• CHANNA MASALA
• JEERA PULAO
• SOFT ROTIS