Rajma masala is a mildly spiced vegetarian dish which makes a perfect combo with rice, rotis, bread, phulkas etc. When serving with rotis or bread, I thicken the gravy than when serving with rice. Quite often I make this curry with pre-cooked tinned red kidney beans. It saves me the hassle of pressure cooking the beans. It is best to soak the kidney beans the previous day if making the curry with raw kidney beans. I have described here one version of how to make the curry in pressure cooker.
Ingredients
- 2 cups Rajma/ Red kidney beans
- 5 cups water
- 1 green chilli
- One tbsp. chopped garlic
- 1 tbsp. chopped ginger
- 3 medium tomatoes, chopped
- 1 large onion, chopped
- ½ tsp. turmeric powder
- ½ tsp. red chili powder
- 1 tsp. garam masala powder
- A tsp. dry mango powder
- 1 tsp. cumin seeds
- 2 tbsps. Oil or butter
- Salt, as required
Method
- Rinse the rajma/ kidney beans for a couple of times in running water. Then soak the rajma beans in enough water overnight or for 8 to 9 hours.
- The next day or after 8 to 9 hours, drain the soaked water. Rinse the rajma beans again in fresh clean water, drain them and keep aside.
- Chop the veggies – onion, tomatoes, ginger, garlic and green chillies and keep aside.
- In a pressure cooker add the rajma along with the chopped onion, tomatoes, ginger, garlic and green chillies. Now add the spices – cumin seeds, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt.
- Pour water and stir..
- Add butter or oil and stir again.
- Cover tightly and pressure cook on a high flame.
- Once the pressure settles down on its own, open the lid and check the beans. The kidney beans should be fully cooked.
- If the rajma beans are still not cooked completely, then add about 1/2 cup more of water and pressure cook again.
- Once the kidney beans are cooked well, then check the gravy. The gravy will be watery.
- Continue to simmer the rajma masala till the curry thickens a bit.
- Keep the cooker on stove top and on a low to medium flame, simmer without lid and stir at intervals.
- Then add dry mango powder and garam masala powder.
- Stir well and simmer the curry till it thickens.
- When the consistency of the rajma curry is no longer broth like or water like and thickened. then the rajma masala is ready.
- If you want you can thicken the rajma gravy more, if having with chapatis or phulkas.
- Lastly check the taste and add more of salt, garam masala, red chili powder or dry mango powder if required.
- Garnish rajma masala with coriander leaves. Serve rajma masala with some steamed rice or with chapatis, parathas or bread.