Kashmiri Rajma
Tell me you are a Punjabi without telling me that you are a Punjabi 😂. This is one of the most popular dishes in North India. Most of the North Indian families makes this curry at least a few times in a month. This one curry is so satisfying and comforting! Most popularly and traditionally rajma curry is eaten with rice and believe me, you won’t miss anything else in your bowl-meal. I usually like to make a large batch of this to last for a at least two meals if not more. I’d happily eat for more meals too if it can survive beyond a couple of meals in my family. This legume curry is one of the good sources of protein and fiber for vegetarian Indian families.
I am glad to share my version of this delicious curry.
How to make rajma curry?
Soak 1 cup rajma overnight or for at least 8 hours. Definitely soaking rajma overnight is super important. That is what gives the rajma a delicious soft and melt in mouth texture.
Pressure cook rajma along with salt, 1 inch cinnamon, 1 black cardamom, 1/4 tsp hing.
Heat 1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp ghee in a pan and sauté 1 tsp cumin seeds, 2-3 cloves, 6-7 black peppercorns, 1 star anise, 2-3 small green cardamoms, and a couple of dry red chillies and a bay leaf. Sauté until fragrant.
Add in 2 tbsp crushed garlic and ginger (I used mortar and pestle), 2 chopped/crushed green chillies and then sauté 1/2 cup puréed or finely chopped onion until it turns golden brown. Add in a few tsps of water if the onion paste gets dry. We need browned not burnt onions. Remove the whole spices from the curry. Then add in 3/4 cup tomato purée, and cook them all until it releases oil. Stir 1 tbsp whisked curd and cook for another 2 mins.
Add the dry spices – 1.5 tsp red chilli powder, 2-3 tbsp rajma masala, 1 tsp coriander powder, salt to taste, 1 tsp roasted cumin powder, 1/4 turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp fennel seeds powder.
Drain the cooked rajma, save the broth. Add in the rajma to the cooked masala and mix them well and then mix in the saved broth, and lots of chopped cilantro. Turn the flame to low, cover the pan and let it simmer for 20 mins.
Add 1/2 tsp garam masala, give it a good mix and switch of the flame. Add a tsp of lemon juice.
Serve with rice or flatbreads, pickles and enjoy!!!
If you like this kashmiri rajma, please let me know your thoughts in the comments below. You can also connect with me on my Instagram and Facebook handles.
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Kashmiri Rajma
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Rajma/Rad Kidney Beans before soaking
- 2 Tbsp Ginger and garlic paste
- 2 Pcs Green chillies Crushed/chopped
- 1/2 Cup Onion purée or finely chopped
- 3/4 Cup Tomato purée
- 1 Tbsp Cooking oil
- 1 Tbsp Ghee
- 1 Tbsp Whisked curd
- 1/2 Tsp Garam masala
- Salt to taste
- 1 Tsp Lemon juice
- 1/4 Tsp Hing
Whole Spices
- 6-7 Pcs Black peppercorns
- 1 Tsp Cumin seeds
- 2-3 Pcs Cloves
- 1 Pc Star anise
- 1 Pc Black cardamom
- 2-3 Pcs Small green cardamoms
- 1 Inch Cinnamon stick
- 2 Pcs Dry red chillies
- 1 Pc Bay leaf
Dry Spices
- 1.5 Tsp Red chilli powder
- 2-3 Tsp Rajma masala powder
- 1 Tsp Coriander powder
- 1/4 Tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 Tsp Roasted cumin powder
- 1/2 Tsp Fennel seeds powder
Instructions
- Soak 1 cup rajma overnight or for at least 8 hours. Definitely soaking rajma overnight is super important. That is what gives the rajma a delicious soft and melt in mouth texture.
- Pressure cook rajma along with salt, 1 inch cinnamon, 1 black cardamom, 1/4 tsp hing.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp ghee in a pan and sauté the whole spices. Sauté until fragrant.
- Add in 2 tbsp crushed garlic and ginger (I used mortar and pestle), 2 chopped/crushed green chillies and then sauté 1/2 cup puréed or finely chopped onion until it turns golden brown. Add in a few tsps of water if the onion paste gets dry. We need browned not burnt onions. Remove the whole spices from the curry.Then add in 3/4 cup tomato purée, and cook them all until it releases oil. Stir 1 tbsp whisked curd and cook for another 2 mins.
- Add the dry spices and salt. Don’t add garam masala yet.
- Drain the cooked rajma, save the broth. Add in the rajma to the cooked masala and mix them well and then mix in the saved broth, and lots of chopped cilantro. Turn the flame to low, cover the pan and let it simmer for 20 mins.
- Add garam masala, give it a good mix and switch off the flame. Add a tsp of lemon juice.
- Serve with rice or flatbreads and pickles and enjoy!!!
