Rajma Chawal

Rajma Chawal

Rajma Chawal

Veg Vegan

Red kidney bean curry over rice — large rajma beans soaked overnight, pressure-cooked until collapsing-soft, then simmered in a dark onion-tomato gravy with garam masala, ginger, and red chilli until the beans have nearly dissolved into the thick, earthy sauce. Eaten over plain steamed rice — every grain should absorb the gravy. The defining Delhi-Punjabi comfort meal, eaten at home every Sunday. No restaurant does it better than a Delhi home kitchen.

Cuisines

Haryanvi Punjabi Delhi

Best for

Lunch Dinner

Build a full meal around Rajma Chawal

Get a matched combo of sides and accents

Recipe

Prep: 20 min Cook: 40 min Total: 60 min 2-3 servings

Ingredients

Kidney Bean 1 cup Kidney Bean
water 3 cups Water
basmati rice 2 cups Basmati rice
Onion 1 large Onion , finely chopped
Tomato 2 medium Tomato , pureed
Ginger 1 inch Ginger , grated
Garlic 4 cloves Garlic , minced
ghee or oil 2 tablespoons Ghee or oil
Cumin 1 teaspoon Cumin , seeds
red chili powder 1 teaspoon Red chili powder
turmeric powder 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
garam masala 1 teaspoon Garam masala
coriander powder 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
salt — Salt , to taste
Cilantro 1 tablespoon Cilantro , chopped

Instructions

  1. 1 Wash and soak the rajma in water overnight or for at least 8 hours.
  2. 2 Drain the soaked rajma and add it to a pressure cooker with 3 cups of water and a little salt.
  3. 3 Pressure cook the rajma on medium heat for about 15-20 minutes or until soft.
  4. 4 Meanwhile, wash and soak the basmati rice for 30 minutes.
  5. 5 In a separate pot, bring water to a boil, add the soaked rice, and cook until done. Drain and set aside.
  6. 6 Heat ghee or oil in a pan over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and let them splutter.
  7. 7 Add chopped onions and sauté until golden brown.
  8. 8 Add grated ginger and minced garlic, and sauté for another minute.
  9. 9 Stir in the tomato puree, red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, and salt. Cook until the oil separates from the masala.
  10. 10 Add the cooked rajma along with its water to the masala. Mix well and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
  11. 11 Stir in garam masala and cook for another 2 minutes.
  12. 12 Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot with the cooked basmati rice.

Tips

For extra flavour, use whole spices like bay leaf, black cardamom, and cinnamon in the oil first.