Rajma Curry
North Indian kidney bean curry — slow-cooked red kidney beans in a spiced tomato-onion gravy. Punjabi household staple. Best with basmati rice (rajma chawal) — the comfort food of North India.
Prep Time
14 min
Cook Time
15 min
Servings
6
Calories
336 cal
🛠 Interactive Recipe Tools — Use them right here on this page
Smart Servings Scaler
- Kidney Beans1 ½ cup
- Tomato3 medium
- Onion1 ½ medium
- Ginger1 ½ tsp
- Garlic4 ½ cloves
- Garam Masala1 ½
- Coriander Powder1 ½
- Salt1 ½ tsp
- Oil3 tbsp
All quantities scaled automatically from 6 servings.
Ingredients
Makes 6 servings · Use the Servings Scaler above to adjust
- Kidney Beans1.5 cup
- Tomato3 medium
- Onion1.5 medium
- Ginger1.5 tsp
- Garlic4.5 cloves
- Garam Masala1.5
- Coriander Powder1.5
- Salt1.5 tsp
- Oil3 tbsp
Instructions
- 1
Soak 1.5 cups dried kidney beans overnight in plenty of water. Drain. Pressure cook with 4 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt for 30 minutes (or simmer 2 hours until very soft).
- 2
Reserve the cooking liquid. You should have tender beans and broth.
- 3
Make the masala: heat 3 tablespoons ghee in a heavy pot. Add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, sizzle. Add 1 sliced onion, cook 10 minutes until golden. Add 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste, cook 1 minute.
- 4
Add 2 chopped tomatoes (or 1 cup puree), 1 teaspoon turmeric, 1.5 teaspoons red chili powder, 2 teaspoons coriander powder, 1 teaspoon cumin powder, 1.5 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon sugar. Cook 8 minutes until oil separates from masala.
- 5
Add the cooked beans with 2 cups of the cooking liquid. Mash some beans with the back of a spoon to thicken naturally.
- 6
Simmer uncovered 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Finish with 1 teaspoon garam masala, 1 tablespoon kasoori methi (crushed), ¼ cup chopped cilantro. Serve over basmati rice. Yogurt and pickle on the side.
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💡 Expert Tips
- 1.Soak overnight. Beans need long soak.
- 2.Pressure cook. Saves hours.
- 3.Mash some beans. Thickens naturally.
- 4.Kasoori methi at end. Defining flavor.
🔬 Why It Works
Rajma succeeds because the long-cooked kidney beans absorb the spiced masala flavors while the onion-tomato base provides rich foundation. Mashing some beans thickens the gravy naturally. The combination with rice (rajma chawal) is the iconic Punjabi comfort food.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Nutrition Facts
Per serving (recipe makes 6 servings)
* Percent Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Values are estimates.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (recipe makes 6 servings)
* Percent Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Values are estimates.
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