Rajma

Red kidney beans or rajma is commonly available in the market either in its whitish pink spotted version or the deep red ones. Today, I used the spotted version. I cook by ‘andaaz’ or by the hand but for your benefit I have reworked the recipe. I cooked 700 grams of kidney beans which can feed 20 people for one meal. I am reworking this recipe for your benefit.

Kidney beans -250 grams
Tomatoes to be pureed -250 grams
Onions to be finely chopped – two small or one large
Green chillies – one large
Garlic – seven flakes
Ginger – half an inch piece
Turmeric powder – ¼ teaspoon
Kashmiri chilli powder or even better deghi mirch – ½ teaspoon
Coriander powder – 1 tsp
Jeera or cumin seeds – ½ teaspoon
Asafoetida – large pinch
Bay leaf – one
Coriander and mint finely chopped – two table spoons
Mustard oil
Ghee to finish

METHOD
Soak the kidney beans overnight and change the water as often as you can. This helps if you have an issue with gas in your stomach from eating beans. In a pressure cooker cook the kidney beans with salt, water and a black cardamom. Some people also add a bit of baking soda. Pressure cook the beans till they are well cooked. You should be able to hold a bean in your hand and it should mash easily. On a regular gas burner, I allow eight to ten whistles provided the beans have been soaked overnight.

In a pan heat mustard oil and add in the jeera and bay leaf followed by the green chilly, garlic and ginger which have been coarsely smashed. Now add the onions and saute till light brown. Add the asafoetid and the powdered masalas and stir on low fire for half a minute. Add half a cup of water and allow the masala and the onion to cook for a minute. Add the tomatoes which have been pureed and bring this to a simmer, cooking for five minutes. Take some of the cooked rajma, perhaps a handful and run it in a blender. Add this and the cooked rajma and any of the rajma stock and bring this to a boil. If need be add water. Drop the heat and cook for another ten minutes or till the beans are really tender. Your gravy should be thick and not runny. This is not a curry!

Finally add the finely chopped coriander and mint along with some ghee. Close and let it rest for an hour before serving.